Starting Today
by Star-of-Chaos
Summary: Companion piece to "Tonight". Rogue is tired of wearing masks and Remy is looking for redemption.//Not abandoned, just on hold, along with some housecleaning//
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one portrayed here

Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one portrayed here.

AN: This is a companion piece to my songfic, "Tonight". This picks up where that story left off. I don't pretend to know French and I refuse to mangle the language, so Remy won't be speaking a heavy amount of it here, other than his usual endearments. We also already know how he and Rogue sound so I see no reason to overdo the accents. R rating is for sexual situations in later chapters. I'll take any liberties I want with Bayville, Remy and Rogue's abilities, and whoever else I want because I can, heh heh heh.

O-o-o-o-O

The warm night air blew past Rogue's cheeks, still managing to be cool enough to fan the flush on her face as she sped down the highway. Dancing with Remy was always an erotic experience, and the heightened emotions both had experienced tonight brought things to the level of an intimate encounter. Rogue always showered after she had been around Remy; Wolverine's nose was infamous for picking up the least scents, especially if that scent had the habit of hanging out with Magneto. Tonight she would need to take a cold one though after the rollercoaster she had just been on. Love, lust, longing, exhilaration, fear; the emotions mixed like a drug and ran through her veins. She didn't think she'd be able to sleep tonight. There were too many thoughts going through her head, too many emotions in her heart. Closing her eyes for a brief second, she picked up her speed. Logan's bike was a thing of beauty and god could it go. Racing down the road on a warm summer night after having spent a heady evening in the arms of the man you love, a powerful piece of machinery between your legs. Could life get any better than this?

Yes it could. Tomorrow could be over, everyone safe and sound with Remy's plans successfully brought to fruition. Magneto could be put away and Remy could be lying in her arms, without having to worry about waking up before anyone discovers she's missing. _Soon enough sugar, soon enough. We've been this patient_. But it's so hard now that it's almost time. Every beat her heart has made over the last few months seems to have been leading up to this time. Did she ever imagine when she stepped onto that battlefield that she'd be starting a dance that could carry her this far? The stars glow in the night sky as she brings back a memory of..

_6 months ago_

Scarlet..

Scarlet on black, black velvet.

Such rich, deep colors. Amazing that nature could take these and set them in someone's eyes. But there they were, and what a background they were set in, too. Tall and lean, kind of scruffy looking auburn hair framing an angular face, lips that could make a saint sin. She felt her breath catch in her throat, and her heart was moving in a rhythm that she had never felt before, kind of panicky but excited at the same time_. Move, why can't I move? My glove is off, right? I should be trying to take him out. All I have to do is just_ _lift_ _my hand and touch his face. His face.. Dear God, is my mouth hanging open?_ She couldn't move. She couldn't think. She could barely breathe. All she could do is stare stupidly into those beautiful eyes, praying desperately that she wasn't drooling. She knew the Devil could put on a pleasing face, but it just wasn't right that something that delicious could be working for the enemy. _Where did Buckethead find this one? Do they have any more where he came from? My hand. He's taking my hand. Are you taking me somewhere? I'll go wherever you want, beautiful. I.. no, wait. He's putting something in my hand. What is this? A card. King of hearts. Yes, I can believe that. Are you leaning forward just a little? You couldn't possibly.. Maybe I can take you out with a kiss instead, unless someone up there likes me and the King of Hearts is immune to my touch. But wait, you're backing away, leaving me still in the pretty light of this..._

Light.

The card.

The card is glowing.

_SHIT!_

With a sudden jolt in her system she woke up from her daze and threw the rosy card as hard as she could, where it exploded a few yards away. What the hell was she thinking?! While she was standing there drooling he almost blew her hand off! Shaking her head angrily to break herself from the rest of her stupor, she looked around but the tall stranger was gone. She was left standing stupidly next to some crates on a battlefield with a burnt card lying on the ground and a new kind of electricity sparking in her heart. Who was that and what the hell did he do to me??


	2. Chapter 2

Rogue lucked out

Rogue lucked out. She managed to walk Logan's bike into the garage, then used Kurt's power to teleport directly to her room. She didn't run into Logan until she was walking back from the bathroom, nicely fresh and showered, dressed in a robe and towel.

"Where the hell have you been kid, and on MY bike?"

"Out."

"Like that wasn't obvious. Gimme one reason why I shouldn't be having you clean the Danger Room with a tooth brush for the next week."

_Logan, let her be. She was out with my permission._

_Why the hell wasn't I told about it, Chuck?_

_It was a need to know basis, and you didn't need to know. Let the girl go to bed; everything will be explained tomorrow._

_Fine, Chuck, but this better be good._

"Alright kid, the professor says you're off the hook this time, but I don't like it. You may have been able to fool everyone else around here lately, but I can tell there's been something going on."

"It'll be okay, trust me. Good night Logan, and..thanks."

"Yeah."

Rogue ducked into her room and closed the door quietly so as not to wake Kitty. Running into Logan was bad enough; she didn't want to spend the rest of the night dodging her roommate's questions about where she had been. As much as she loved Kitty, the girl was a hopeless romantic and had a well-deserved reputation as a gossip. Not that she would repeat information out of malice; she just felt that good news, especially if it happened to involve Rogue and a member of the opposite sex, should be shared with the world and the sooner the better. _Not that I wouldn't love to spread the news about my love life, including the mere fact that I have a love life, but now just isn't a good time._ Maybe later she'd bask in the fact that, she, the creepy Goth Rogue, had the sexiest man in Bayville in her arms. And mouth, and legs, and...Stop that! Bad girl! She'd never get any sleep if she kept those thoughts up. _It's not like I'm going to get any sleep as it is anyway, who am I kidding?_

Looking out the window she sighed softly to herself. Should she wish for the night to continue; delay morning and what came with it? Or just for morning to come quickly and be done with? _I swear sometimes I'm a masochist, torturing myself like this_.

_You're also keeping your Professor awake as well Rogue. You tend to forget that you project when you're worried._

_Sorry about that Professor. The mental shields slip sometimes._

_Would you like me to calm your mind and help you sleep?_

_Normally I'd say no, but I can't stand the thought of staying up the rest of the night like this. Thank you Professor._

_You're welcome Rogue. Sleep well and try not to worry._

Rogue slipped beneath the sheets and rested her head against the pillow. Keeping her thoughts on her love and happier moments, her breathing soon relaxed and she fell asleep.

O-o-o-o-O

There's a smoky little dive a few streets away from the club. Shady characters from all over the city come here to drink, play pool and poker, lose money and maybe get laid. Remy had frequented places like these for years for different purposes; play the cards and make some money, challenge someone at pool and make some money (he rarely lost, and usually only if he wanted to), gather info for whoever he was working for at the time. The combined smells of smoke, alcohol and seediness he usually just accepted; they were part of the atmosphere in places like these. But now he relished them, for they were part of his new purpose; to cover his tracks, erase any sensory memory of the club and most importantly, erase the scent that no doubt still clung to him, one part vanilla and ginger, one part untouchable southern skin.

He hated having to remove any trace of her from him; given his way, he'd lose himself in her scent the way he lost himself in her body during their infrequent stolen moments. But just as his _chere_ lived with the infamous Wolverine, he shared living quarters with that homicidal bastard, Sabertooth. Animals both with their heightened senses. Gambit had built a reputation for playing with the ladies, but the less he smelled of an X-girl, the better. Funny how places like this that used to corrupt him; he now used to them to help redeem himself. Redemption. Now there was a lovely word. He didn't used to think it could be part of his vocabulary. Was it coincidence that redemption and Rogue both started with the letter R? He didn't think so. That such beautiful words, as well as his own name, should start with the same letter, and leave the same sweet taste as they rolled off his tongue, just seemed too much like fate to be denied. Always thought fate was a lady. Here's hoping Remy can charm that last lady, and charm her well, before he turns in his title as King of Hearts.

Anyone hearing that thought would have had a good long laugh. Remy LeBeau, giving up his skirt-chasing ways? Time was when he would have laughed at that idea as well. But, can't be king of what isn't yours anymore. Not when your heart is in a mansion across town, scrubbing traces of you from her skin to guard the knowledge of your presence from her barbaric housemate, the same way you now bury yourself in this pit to hide the knowledge of her presence from yours. Not to say he no longer had a heart. It just wasn't the one he originally started out with. No, the heart he now carried was far more precious than the factory issued version, and though he felt he might be sullying it by bringing it to places like these, it was necessary in the long run.

Six months. Has it really been that long, or that short? Would he have believed anyone that had told him that by stepping onto that battlefield he'd end up falling in love and planning a mutiny? Hardly. Such thoughts were beyond him so long ago. His thoughts were pretty basic in those days; the next card game he could win, the next pretty girl he could charm, the next jewel he could steal. In fact, he could clearly remember thinking about jewels that day...

_6 months ago_

Emeralds, to be exact.

The deepest, most perfect emeralds he had ever seen.

Not set in a necklace or ring, lying against velvet backing, but in a face.

_Oh, but what a face.._

Soft curves, long lashes; sweet, luscious lips that God must have had in mind when the word kiss was created, the entire confection framed by auburn and white hair that fell around her neck. All Gothic makeup and spandex, she could start a new fetish.

Standing still next to the pile of crates, caught in the act of removing one black glove, she seems as transfixed as he is. Mouth open slightly, gazing into his eyes. _Oh femme, you're too much for words. Figures Xavier would have such an angel on his team. Are your lips as sweet as they look? What I could teach you to do with that mouth_. The thought of tasting those lips sent a rush of pleasure through his groin, and he had to hope that none of his teammates caught him getting hard on the battlefield. Though with this enemy, could they really blame him? Figuring he'd better escape before embarrassing himself further, he pulled out his signature card, King of Hearts, and leaned in to distract his pretty adversary with a kiss while charging it; not enough to hurt her, she was far too belle to harm, but just enough to give her a fright and make his getaway.

He was close enough to catch a faint scent of vanilla and ginger when he slipped the charged card into her one gloved hand. Just a little closer now….

Wait.

One glove. Why did she only have one glove on?

Power thief. Xavier's untouchable student.

_Merde._

_Damn Remy, you almost got yourself into it there. That's what you get for trying to kiss random enemy girls on the battlefield. Saints above, but what an enemy. Might not be a bad way to end up in a coma. Mags would kill me though. What a shame, mouths like that were made for kissing senseless._ A little regretfully, he left the card in her hand and slowly backed away. When her eyes left him to gaze down at the card he found himself able to move a little faster and was able to leave the scene before it blew up. He heard a curse and knew she was okay. _Ah petite, Remy thinks he wants to see you again. Not supposed to fraternize with the enemy, but thieves aren't known for following the rules and Remy's the best. Au revoir for now, chere._


	3. Chapter3

AN

AN

AN: Sorry for the delay, folks, I was out of town. The next couple of chapters are going to be flashbacks. This is slightly AU in that Rogue does not get captured and the mansion doesn't get destroyed.

O-o-o-o-O

Remy stretched and bent, trying to get the kinks out of his back and legs. Magneto's floating pinballs always left him feeling like a pretzel. What he wouldn't give for a long, hot bath and a nice Swedish massage; preferably given by a cute little Swedish femme. At Mags' place the best you could hope for is a shower and a glass of bourbon though, and you'd have to provide the bourbon yourself.

He walked into the building and threw his trench coat onto the sofa. Maybe it wouldn't even have to be a Swede; that little X-girl would do nicely too, even if she had to do the job with gloves on. Remy was always up for a little kink. Just the thought of his little glove-wearing lady with the jeweled eyes and the word kink made his pants grow tight again. _Merde Remy, you don't know the first thing about this femme and you're practically drooling just at the thought of her. Get a hold of yourself. Not like that you perv._

Files. Didn't Mags have files on all Xavier's kids? Should have read them before hitting the battlefield. In his usual cockiness Remy figured he could handle anything thrown at him. It was only when he saw his adversary's bare hand that he recalled Mags' son Pietro talking about an untouchable mutant at the Institute.

_So Chere, let's see who you are._

Remy went to Magneto's office and looked through the files on Xavier's students until he found the one with her picture. He then closeted himself in his room so he could read it privately.

Codename: Rogue:

Real name: Unknown

Age: 17

Hometown: Caldecott, Mississippi

Mutation: Absorbs energy, life force, personality, memory, and mutant power through skin to skin contact. Power is uncontrollable, leaving mutant incapable of touch.

Known family: Guardian: Irene Adler

Mutant was originally a member of the Brotherhood until recruited by Xavier, and does remain on good speaking terms with some Brotherhood members.

_Soooo..Chere is a little Southern belle and has a bit of a dark side. Anyone that grew up with Mystique's lover can't be a complete goody-goody, even if she is living with Xavier now. That's okay though, I like that in a girl. Rogue. What an odd name for such a lovely girl. I think I like Chere better though._ Remy laid back on his bed and gazed at the picture attached to the file. Rogue was sitting at the top of a cliff, obviously lost in thought and thinking that she was alone because there was a little smile that played on her lips; it made her eyes glow such that they shone through the photo and Remy found himself entrapped almost as he was earlier that day. Alone, he was able to imagine that those eyes shone for him and that he was the cause for that smile. That thought caused the ache in his groin that had never really gone away to increase and he was now able to indulge himself; wearing his softest pair of gloves, since that is the only way that she would ever be able to touch him, he imagined it was her hands stroking him, caressing his length. And it was her name he softly gasped as he came, spilling out over the gloves.

"Chere"

O-o-o-o-O

There were giant robots squishing the city. Big deal.

She and her friends were going to be expelled for being mutants. No great loss there, she hated school anyway.

Rogue had more important things to worry about. She had lost her cool on the battlefield.

In front of a guy.

It didn't matter that you'd probably see this guy's picture if you looked up the word temptation in the dictionary, the Rogue simply did not stand there drooling over bad guys when she was supposed to be laying them out on the ground._ But if I was going to drool over any guy, good or bad, it would be him. NO NO NO! The Rogue does NOT drool! But maybe I can sigh a little..._

"ARGH!" She starts banging her head against the wall of the Blackbird as they're flying back to the Mansion.

"Is there a problem Rogue?" Scott asked.

"Just that I almost got blown up by this lackey of Magneto's who likes to throw explosive playing cards. Other than that, I'm just fine and dandy. You?"

"Ah, you must mean Gambit," said the Professor, "his mutation is to charge objects with kinetic energy. He's a powerful mutant, you're lucky you got away unharmed, Rogue."

"What do you know about him, Professor?" Rogue asked.

"Not much, other than that he's a professional thief from New Orleans. He has very strong mental shields that don't allow me to read him."

"New Orleans, eh? Heh, swamp rat." With this she turned away from everyone and looked out the window.

_Powerful mutant my ass. If he's so powerful why am I still sitting here without a scratch on me. I was holding one of those damn playing cards...that bastard! He was playing with me! That card probably wasn't charged enough to hurt me much, and the way he was leaning in, he was pretending like he was going to kiss me to distract me into taking it. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Next time I lay my hands on that low down, sneaky, thieving... Now wait a minute Rogue, before you start setting out the swamp rat traps, ask yourself; who are you more mad at: him for pretending to try to kiss you, or yourself for wanting to be kissed? It's alright to hate the boy; in fact it will probably help you next time you meet him on the battlefield and you find yourself wanting to drool, but be honest to yourself about why you hate him. Wear all the masks you want, lie to whoever else you want, but always be honest to yourself._

It's pretty sad when you lose arguments with yourself. She had to admit that her little inner voice was right. She thought she had gotten good at burying the little urges, the desires to kiss and touch brought on by hormones and puberty, but one look at Gambit and it was like she was taking a crash course in sexual frustration. The words want, crave, and desire had fuller meaning for her now, and frankly she didn't like it one bit. It wasn't like she could walk up to him and say, "Hey, I know we're on opposing sides, but you wanna have sex?" If simply kissing the guy could put him in a coma, intercourse would probably kill him. Though that would be an interesting way of taking him down; Rogue had to choke down the burst of hysterical laughter she had at this thought. Some of the others in the plane looked at her funny, and the Professor raised an eyebrow at her, but Rogue looked the other way and tried to do her best to clear her thoughts of anything to do with swamp rats and horizontal positions.


	4. Chapter 4

AN

AN

AN: The third season Evo script has been given to Pyro to use for a barbecue. I've got my own agenda and don't have time to follow theirs. By the way, we're still in flashback mode.

Wienie roast anyone?

O-o-o-o-O

Remy's brother Henri had once convinced him when they were younger not to sweep under his bed; that if he sat and watched the dustbunnies under his bed that they would turn into monsters. Remy was young and stupid enough at the time to believe him and spent almost three hours on one occasion, waiting for them to transform. It had to have been one of the most boring moments of his life.

Remy wished he were having that much fun now.

Awaiting the evolution of dust bunnies had to be more interesting than listening to Magneto rant about mutant superiority and Pietro cower from his psychotic sister, which is what he has been doing all week since that last battle. Colossus and Pyro were both closeted in their rooms most of the time; the former buried in his endless Russian novels and the latter dividing his time between drooling over some walking flamethrower that lived at Xavier's and working on his latest bodice ripper. You wouldn't think it, but St. John Allerdyce had started a promising career as a romance novelist before working for Buckethead, and he figured that working towards mutant superiority and world domination shouldn't get in the way of that. Remy wasn't into the genre himself, but whatever kept Pyro (and his lighter) out of his hair was fine with him. Sabertooth he hadn't seen much of at all, and that suited Remy even better than not seeing Pyro. The less any of them saw of that one, the happier they all were.

Pretty much the only bright spot of his week had been seeing his little Goth girl take down Juggernaut on TV. Watching the massive mutant get his ass kicked by a Southern Belle after the collective efforts of the rest of the X-men failed made him smirk. _Damn, what a woman. Remind me not to piss her off though. _Memories of her delicious features had fueled his fantasies over the past few days, but a woman who could hold her own in a fight truly turned him on, and this new facet of her character promised to give a new edge to his imaginings. Remy had a vivid imagination and liked to use it extensively. The fact that his current fantasy girl could not be touched hardly fazed him at all, it simply presented a new dimension to work in. Images of silk and a feather made him consider buying some new sheets for his apartment in town. But that would imply that he was serious about bringing his fantasy into reality, wouldn't it? Well it's not like it would be the first time Remy has fraternized with the enemy. He thought to himself with a little smile, thinking back to his ex-girlfriend Belladonna. She wasn't a mutant, but among humans you didn't find people more dangerous than the Assassins Guild. Human or mutant, Assassin or X-Man though, every _femme_ was a sucker for a handsome face, and they didn't come any more _beau_ than Remy. He wasn't considered the King of Hearts for nothing. The ladies were always happy to grace his arm and later, usually his bed as well.

The past few months since he had moved to Bayville hadn't been too interesting though, socially. He'd met some cute girls, and been on a couple of dates, but nothing worth spending any time or effort over. Now Rogue was another matter. He could see her very easily being worth a little time, especially considering how many times he's had to clean his gloves after daydreaming about her.

Speaking of gloves, he needed some new ones. _Any excuse to get off this base is a good excuse _, he thought. _Time to hit the mall_.

O-o-o-o-O

"Isn't there a law against trying to hold Mardi Gras north of the Mason Dixon line?"

"Not the last time I checked, Rogue".

"Well there should be. Some things are just blasphemous. Like wearing an Nsync shirt to a Manson concert." Rogue was annoyed. She and Kitty had been wandering the mall for the past couple of hours, looking for costumes for the pseudo-Mardi Gras party that the school had decided to hold. She had found her own costume, but Kitty still couldn't make up her mind about hers.

Somehow the kids at Xavier's had managed not to get expelled from school, probably due to how they had handled the situations with the Sentinels and Juggernaut. _I'm sure it wasn't for lack of Kelly trying _, Rogue thought to herself, thinking of Bayville High's anti-mutant principal. He had done everything he could in the past week to make life as miserable as possible for the mutant population of the school, throwing out harsh punishments for minor and sometimes nonexistent transgressions.

"Remind me again why I have to go to this thing?"

"The Professor doesn't want us to appear to be backing down or hiding because of all the anti-mutant behavior in town and at school. Besides, it's Mardi Gras, Rogue; one of the biggest parties of the year. And as for it being north of the Mason Dixon line, unless you already have plans to be in New Orleans tomorrow night, this is about as close as you're going to get to the real thing." Kitty said as she looked over different dresses on the rack.

"I wish you'd hurry up and pick something, Kitty-cat. I feel like I'm losing brain cells every minute I spend among these Barbie dolls in the mall. What are you looking for, anyway?"

"Dunno. Like I'll know it when I see it. I just don't want some kiddy costume. I want something..exotic."

"How about this?" Rogue held up a genie costume. It had the gauzy, baggy pants, tight top with gauzy over shirt, and a lamp to go with it. And it was pink.

A smile appeared on Kitty's face. "That will work."

O-o-o-o-O

_Remy LeBeau, since when did you become a stalker?_ , The young man asked himself as he made his way through the mall. _Since about 15 minutes and one store ago_; he thought with a smirk. Fifteen minutes ago he had been perusing gloves, minding his own business, when a sweet Southern voice grabbed his attention. It was rare enough that he heard them these days that he always noticed when he did, but this one caught him in particular. It was low, kind of husky, and when he looked up to connect it to a face, he found himself seeing the face that was now connected to some of the more erotic fantasies he's had in a long time. _Hello again, Chere_.

There she was, looking as lovely as when he'd seen her a week ago. And now he had a voice to connect to that face, to have whisper and moan all the naughty little things he'd wanted her to say in his visions, but couldn't because he didn't know what she sounded like. He wanted to approach her, but they were in the middle of a store and she was with one of her teammates, a pony-tailed girl-next-door type that he vaguely remembered from the battle. A confrontation in the mall would get him in trouble with Mags, and besides, he wanted to find out a little bit more about her before approaching her, get a little grasp on her personality. What he'd heard so far since he followed the girls from the last store gave him the impression that she was intelligent but sarcastic, with a bit of a temper. An intriguing mix, one he'd like to pursue a little further. He'd been debating how best to do that when Rogue brought up the upcoming festivities. _Mardi Gras, eh? The girl's right, it's sacrilegious but it's perfect. No one will recognize me with a costume on, and I can spend a little time getting closer to this little Southern sweet. Au revoir for now, Chere. We'll meet up soon._

With that Remy faded into the crowd of the mall and went to find himself a costume.

O-o-o-o-O


	5. Chapter 5

AN

AN

AN: Just a random reminder that I own nothing portrayed here, with the possible exception of Remy's dust bunnies.

O-o-o-o-O

Wherever the Lord of Misrule was tonight, Remy was sure that He wasn't too impressed with this party. Cheap decorations, no king cake, and the beads were being offered freely at the door instead of given out the proper way, through feminine exposure. Then again, it was a high school.

Remy had been there for about half an hour and seen all kinds of pretty _femmes_, all dressed up in a wide range of costumes, but none of them were who he was wanting to see. Then again he hadn't seen any of the other X-Men either, so she probably wasn't here yet. Then again...

There just coming into the gym was probably the only one of King Arthur's knights to ever wear ruby quartz glasses. _Figures that Summers would come as a member of the Round Table. From what Pietro says, the guy has a hero complex and a stick up his ass to boot._ But what about the rest of the group? There was a redheaded Guinevere on the arm of her knight, the pony-tailed girl in her genie costume along with the blue elf that seemed to be going as himself tonight, and some others he couldn't immediately recognize. And there, just past the elf...

_Delectable_. That's the word that comes to mind when he sees her. He wants to swallow, but his mouth is suddenly dry and he wishes that the refreshment table wasn't on the other side of the room, because he doesn't want to lose sight of her for an instant. She was moonlight and shadow in a black slip dress that flowed around her knees, covered by a delicate- looking cape of gauzy silver mesh A black and silver feathered mask covered part of her face and she was pushing back strands of her white bangs with hands covered in elbow-length gloves. The way she moved across the room as the group separated was easy and unaffected; she didn't swing her hips as some girls did, but they had a natural sway of their own that caught the attention. A massive wave of desire slid over him as he imagined running his hands over those curves; even beneath that soft-looking cloth he was sure that she would feel divine. He couldn't remember wanting anyone this badly in a long time, if ever. She was a siren in an almost literal sense; her luscious features and creamy skin ensnared the senses, but woe to anyone who thought to touch this creature. And yet she didn't act like she was aware of this power she had over the male libido. How could she not though? She'd been at the center of every sinful thought he'd had this past week. Was it just the forbidden aspect of it that attracted him? He had to admit that the idea of look but don't touch intrigued him, especially since that concept had never applied to him before.

_Merde, Remy, are you going to just stand here and cream your jeans or are you going to talk to the girl? Doesn't matter if she's Venus herself, you've never let a femme get to you like this before._

Rogue had just left the refreshment table with a drink, and was now off to one side, watching the dancing. She didn't congregate with the rest of the X-Men, and seemed to keep a distance from everyone around her. She seemed a little bored with the proceedings, and watched the dancers with a mix of envy and scorn. _No time like the present, Remy. Let's see if we can go show Chere a good time and relieve her boredom._

And with thought he started making his way across the room.

O-o-o-o-O

The first thing she noticed about him was his walk. He had an insolent swagger that said he knew every female eye was on him and he liked it that way. And he was right. Girls' eyes were on him constantly as he walked across the room, some looking like they wanted to swoon. This attitude was matched by the pirate's costume he wore. He could have been Errol Flynn reborn in tight black leather pants that tucked into ankle boots, a soft looking white shirt that was partially unbuttoned at the top, exposing a bit of muscular chest. A black bandanna was tied on his head but she could see auburn hair gathered into a ponytail in the back. A black eye-mask completed the outfit, leaving the clean lines of his face exposed, with the hint of a goatee. He seemed to be moving to the refreshment table so Rogue allowed herself the pleasure of admiring his ass as she stood off to the side, a few dozen yards away.

_And a fine ass it is too. I wonder who he is. There's something slightly familiar about him, but he doesn't seem like anyone I remember seeing around school. Oh well, he's probably the boyfriend of one of the cheerleaders. I think a couple of them have guys in college. Stop drooling, Rogue, you'll never have a guy like that. He looks like he could have a date every night of the week if he wanted. Heh, with the way he walks he probably does, too._ And she would have stopped that line of thinking and her contemplation of his fine, albeit arrogant ass had she not noticed out of the corner of her eye that he had now moved past the refreshment table and was coming towards her. What the hell could he want? It's not like she was beating her dance partners off with a stick. In fact with her track record at dances she almost preferred it that way. Putting her partner into a coma had left a bad taste in her mouth at the idea of dancing with someone else. Which was a shame because she loved to dance; she just didn't consider herself very good at it and preferred that no one else be around when she tried it.

He was almost next to her when she allowed herself to turn and look at his face. That's when she saw it. Them, rather. His eyes. Red on black. She had only seen eyes like that once before.

_Holy shit. It couldn't be._

She turned her face quickly and looked away, trying to catch her breath and still the spark of excitement in her chest, a spark she hadn't felt since she was on a battlefield a week ago, when she had stood drooling like an idiot while the enemy tried to blow her hand off. What the hell was he doing here? She knew he didn't go to school here; he looked a couple of years older than her and she would have noticed someone like him in school before if he attended. What to do? She couldn't cause a scene; Principal Kelly had made it very clear that any mutant activity at this dance would result in expulsion and she couldn't risk anyone getting in trouble. _Keep your cool, Rogue_.

"Bonjour Chere"

Oh hell, he was a Cajun all right. What a sexy voice, a husky purr that just went right through you. _Damn him anyway_.

"What do you think you're doing here, Swamp Rat? I know you're not a student."

"Remy's not looking for any trouble, Chere. This poor Cajun is a long way from home and thought he'd come to the Mardi Gras party and be homesick. It sounds like you're a long way from home also, so maybe we could be homesick together? I'm sure none of these other Yankees know how to party properly. Shall we dance?"

"And why would I want to dance with you? I don't make a habit of hanging out with Buckethead's errand boys."

"You know you want to, Chere. Remy noticed you checking out his ass a minute ago. Besides, we're both in costume; no one else will have to know who your partner is. And if Remy can't dance with the prettiest _femme_ in the room, he'll have to go ask Cyclops over there instead. Do you think he'd say yes, or do you think he'd want to start something? The school doesn't seem too happy with mutants right now; I doubt they'd like a fight happening at their little party."

"Are you trying to blackmail me, Gambit?"

"No, just think of it as a little friendly persuasion. And please, call me Remy. Gambit is for business hours, and Remy most definitely considers talking to you a pleasure."

"You could have fooled me, Swamp Rat. Last time we met you almost took my hand off!"

"Can you really say you're so innocent, _petite_? Remy remembers very clearly one of your pretty hands being bare at our last meeting." He took one of her gloved hands and stroked the knuckles gently. "So what do you say, does Remy get to dance with you or does he have to take his chances with Cyclops?"

"Alright Cajun, but only because I don't want you causing any trouble here."

Remy smirked and tightening his grasp on her hand, led her out onto the dance floor. A slow, hypnotic beat was playing and Remy drew her close into his arms. Rogue froze at the proximity and tried to back off, but Remy tightened his grasp and held her a little closer. "Shhhh._petite_. Remy knows about your mutation. He won't let anything happen. We don't want any accidents on our first dance." Rogue tried to not be so stiff but couldn't quite relax with having him so close. He was so warm against her; good lord it had been so long since she had been held. She thought of the various naughty thoughts she'd tried not to have about him since they met a week ago and blushed; his arms were strong around her and his breath so soft in her ear, she thought she'd melt into a puddle right there.

"Chere, why so tense? Tonight's a night for make believe. You are not you, and I am not me. We are two masks in a crowd. We can be enemies again tomorrow, but tonight play make believe with Remy."

Rogue didn't quite trust herself to answer but allowed herself to relax against him a little more. He was right; no one had to know, no one else knew who he was. She could hate him tomorrow. If anyone asked she could just say that she couldn't tell who it was because of the costume. Surely she could just let herself go a little for just one night. The mask she wore through life got so tiresome at times. Ironic that she had to use one mask to drop another. She could pretend for one night that this gorgeous man in her arms was not her enemy and just a stranger she met at Mardi Gras.

And so it went through the night. Remy didn't let go of her hand after the first song but kept her with him through song after song, stroking her fingers through her glove as his body moved against hers. Neither spoke, they just allowed their bodies to communicate through the music. Rogue was on fire; desire was the new blood that ran through her and she didn't know whether to love the feeling or hate it. On the one hand she couldn't touch, and this couldn't possibly go anywhere so why torment herself by allowing herself to feel this way; on the other hand this had never happened to her before and she thought it probably would never happen again so why not enjoy it why it lasts? Life is made of moments. Sometimes you just have to grab the ones you come across.

Remy started to withdraw a little before the dance was to end. "I'm hoping maybe you might allow a kiss goodnight to end our make believe?" Remy had stopped talking in third person soon after they started dancing, seeming to want to keep any associations with his normal identity out of her mind.

"Not if you want to walk out of here on your own two feet, Swamp Rat." The request for a kiss had broken the spell she had been under, and reminded her just who she was and why tonight could only be make believe.

"_Je suis desole, Chere_; lips like yours are made for kissing." He took the hand that he hadn't really let go of all night and placed a lingering kiss on her fingers instead. The look in his eyes made it clear that he'd rather be kissing her mouth instead.

Feeling a sharp ache in her stomach she tore her hand from him. "I have to go, Swamp Rat. Thanks for the dance, but I swear if you tell anyone about this I'll knock that pretty little ass of yours into next week." Realizing what she'd just said, she bit her lip and glared at him. Remy just smirked and, giving her a little bow, walked out of the room, giving said ass a little shake as he did. Turning away, she almost bumped into her roommate Kitty, who was trying to hide a grin and failing miserably.

"So like, who was THAT, Rogue?"

O-o-o-o-O


	6. Chapter 6

AN

AN

AN: Okay, until I say otherwise, we're in flashback mode.

O-o-o-o-O

"So like, who was THAT, Rogue?"

Kitty's voice woke Rogue from her reverie like a splash of cold water. The dreamy tune that had played in the back of her mind ever since she stepped into Gambit's……_ Remy... Play make believe with Remy... _arms died, leaving the cold light of reality and the normal babble of psyches in her head. Strange, the whole time she had been dancing with Gambit she hadn't heard them, just the music playing in her mind. She had to admit, it was kind of nice for a change. In fact the whole experience had been just short of perfect. The handsome stranger, the dreamy music, dancing all night long wrapped in a man's arms, all the elements of a perfect fantasy. And that was the problem, it was a fantasy. The handsome stranger was no stranger, he was her enemy. The passionate kiss that should end such a fantasy was no more than a brush of lips on her glove and never could be more than that. Not that she WANTED him to kiss her.

_Stop kidding yourself Rogue. When you weren't gazing into his eyes you were staring at his lips, wondering how soft they'd feel. Damn you Gambit, or Remy, or whoever the hell you are. Damn you to hell and back._

_And damn me for wishing._

"Hell if I know who he was, Kitty. He had a mask on, or didn't you notice?"

"So you spend the entire night dancing with a guy, and don't even know who it was? " Scott had come up to them by this time, and was giving her this disapproving look.

"I can't believe you guys. Everyone's always going on about how I need to get out more and socialize, and then when I do I get the third degree!"

"But we're just curious Rogue. You don't like ever dance with anyone, or participate at these kinds of things. We just think it's really cool and want to know more! "

"I just think it's really irresponsible, draping yourself all over a strange guy all night without finding out who he is. You don't know the first thing about him." Scott looked ready to go into lecture mode by this time.

"Stow it Cyke. I didn't elope with the guy, we just danced. Are we leaving or what? I'd like to get home and go to bed."

"Fine Rogue, whatever."

O-o-o-o-O

Remy was in a haze of desire. He'd just gone through several hours of the sweetest torture, and he didn't think he'd ever been so turned on in his life. But just from dancing? What the hell? Just holding this girl in his arms had done things to him that an hour or so of bump and grind in a club had never managed to do. Her hair soft against his cheek, her slender but strong arms around his body, the tickle of her breath against his skin shot straight through his nerves and left him tingling.

After that last dance he had to fight the urge to drag her back to his bed and bury himself inside her; unless he couldn't make it that far in which case up against the wall of the school building would work too. Forbidden fruit had never had such a pleasing shape.

Maybe that's what it was, why thoughts of this _femme_ were driving him crazy. The idea that there was one woman in the world whose skin he could never taste or touch, whose body he could never explore, were setting his thieving instincts into high gear. To touch Death in its sweetest form and live to remember it was a challenge like no other. To be among the best of the New Orleans Thieves Guild one had to love to live dangerously, and the man that attempted to taste this particular fruit would be doing just that. But what is life without risk?

But it just wasn't her formidable power that was the only obstacle. His _Chere_ was one of Xavier's pets, trained by both Mystique and the Wolverine. He had no doubts about his ability to charm any girl, but he knew right off the bat that this one wouldn't be easy, which only makes things more interesting. His last few conquests had been way too easy; he needed something truly special to slip under his belt, and this jewel shone too temptingly to resist. Yes, once he had won her over, taken her to his (and her) satisfaction, he'd conquer this fire in his veins

So Remy set off back to the base, going over the best ways to get and hold this _femme's_ attention, all the while ignoring the faint whisper in the back of his mind that the best and brightest jewels weren't just worn once and thrown away.

O-o-o-o-O

For once Rogue was looking forward to a Monday. Kitty had been bugging her all weekend about her mysterious dance partner. Not even threats to tell a certain fuzzy elf about exactly why good little Kitty-cat had wanted to look "exotic" for Mardi Gras were enough to dissuade her. And Scott wasn't much better. Rogue barely stopped herself from choking on breakfast when Summers had made the comment that for all she knew, her handsome stranger could have been working for Magneto.

So it was almost gleefully that she escaped her teammates at school and made her way to English class, which thankfully she didn't share with any of them. With her love of books, English was easily one of her favorite classes. But something was off today. For some reason she felt like she was being watched. The feeling continued through the entire day too, that someone's eyes were on her relentlessly, but she couldn't shake it. She started feeling a little paranoid, checking around her constantly, but she couldn't figure out what or who it was. By the end of the day she had decided she was just getting paranoid from the anti-mutant heckling that had been building up since the Sentinel battle over a week ago, but she still decided to go to the park after school and take a break from everybody.

Settling back against a tree in a corner of the park, she opened a book and had soon lost herself in Stephen R. Donaldson's world of Mordant. She had read and re-read almost everything put out by Anne Rice and Stephen King, and had decided to broaden her horizons a bit. There was a bit of a nip in the air, but the sun was pleasant and her coat kept her warm against the chill.

Suddenly she experienced that feeling of being watched again and raised her head sharply. Looking around she didn't see anyone until her eyes fell on the nearby bench and the lean figure reclining on it. He was dressed in a tight pair of jeans and plain black shirt, with the familiar trench coat hanging off of him. The partially cut off gloves he wore accentuated the shape and length of his fingers, and she couldn't help remembering those same fingers stroking her hands through her gloves while he held her close. A black headband kept back his hair and he wore sunglasses, but she knew that behind those shades she'd see a beautiful pair of red and black eyes, and that those eyes were fixed on her. She was surprised and slightly shocked to see him again, but she thought she hid it well.

"What do you think you're doing here, Swamp Rat?" Her voice was calm but wary.

"Tis a free country, right _Chere_? Besides, after Friday Remy thought we'd be familiar enough for you to use his name."

"Friday? I don't know what you're talking about. I'm certainly not familiar with you. Besides, if it looks like a swamp rat and smells like a swamp rat.."

"Come now, Friday Remy had the pleasure of spending the evening in this most beautiful girl's arms. Or are you going to deny that we danced? Given how close you were holding Remy, you should know for a fact that he doesn't smell." He wore a little smirk on his face and his voice had dropped to a low, intimate level.

"It was Mardi Gras, or as close as one can get to it up here. Everyone was masked. I had no way of knowing who I danced with. Besides, Swamp Rat, Mardi Gras is make believe, it has no connection real life. It may as well as never have happened. And I'll call you whatever the hell I want. " She had gotten up by this point and was shoving her book back into her bag in preparation to leave.

"But maybe Remy wants it to have happened. And surely you were gazing into Remy's eyes long enough on Friday to remember them by now. " He slowly removed his sunglasses and walked over to her, watching her intently.

"What do you want with me, Gambit?" She sighed in frustration. Those damned eyes; she could never look away from them when he looked at her like that. Their heat caught and held her, promising a fire within to surpass her own. Fires were dangerous though, both his and her own. What good is fire when one must freeze her own heart? Best not to start one at all.

"Just to know the pretty _femme_ that Remy held in his arms a little better. It was the most fun he's had in ages, vertically that is. " This last part was whispered in her ear and she could feel his finger trail lightly up her arm. Fighting to control the shiver that went through her at his touch, she moved quickly away from him and started backing off.

"I don't think so Swamp Rat. I'm not interested in whatever game you're wanting to play, and since you know about my power you should really know better than to even try. Besides, Cyclops isn't here now and you can't blackmail me anymore."

Remy grinned. "So you do admit to having danced with me."

Rogue looked she wanted to spit in his face. "I'm done talking to you now Cajun. Just leave me the hell alone." Giving him one last glare, she swiftly started walking out of the park.

Remy's grin just got a little bigger and he leaned back against the tree she had been sitting under.

"I'll see you around, _Chere_"

Rogue didn't look back but somehow she just had the feeling he was watching her walk away.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: I don't own the X-Men

AN: I don't own the X-Men.

O-o-o-o-O

It started at her fingers. Soft, nipping kisses with a moist tongue tracing over the skin. Rogue shivered and tried to move away, her skin sensitive after so long in gloves, but his oh so warm hands trapped her and his mouth trailed over her wrist, teasing the pulse there. A tiny whimper escaped her throat and she could feel his smile against her skin as he kissed his way up her bare arm, pausing to nuzzle the flesh of her inner elbow. That mouth then moved up to her ear and a voice as rich as melting butter whispered insanely erotic thoughts into her ear before taking her earlobe between his teeth and sucking on it gently. She felt him move over her and his tongue traced the outline of her mouth. He pressed his hips against her and she could feel him hard against her as he whispered again.

"_Chere_, look at me."

Opening her eyes, she found herself trapped in his fiery gaze as he bent his head down to kiss her...

BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Rogue slammed her alarm clock off with one hand and turned her face into the pillow to muffle a scream of frustration. Her treacherous imagination had been wreaking havoc with her dreams for the past two weeks, ever since she saw that damned cocky Cajun at the park. Gambit. Her mind had taken the memories of how he had felt pressed against while dancing and mixed it with imaginings of how his skin would feel and taste to create a seductive torture. It didn't help that he would show up at the most unlikely times, always when she was alone. She hadn't felt that sensation of being watched since that first day back at school after Mardi Gras, but whether it was in the park again or walking home after school, he always seemed to find her.

Their second meeting had earned him a slap in the face when he had offered to give her lessons in horizontal dancing as well as vertical. After that he played at pushing the envelope for awhile, seeing just how far he could go without getting a black eye. Now he mixed what she supposed he thought pleasant banter with laid-back flirtation. It would be so easy to avoid him, not be alone so much; but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that she had changed her habits on account of him. As for the little voice in the back of her head that said she liked the attention, she tried to pay as little attention to that as possible.

It wasn't so much that he worked for Magneto; she had been with the Brotherhood once upon a time so that didn't bother her quite as much as she supposed it should. She figured it was probably contract work as Gambit was a thief and didn't seem the type to get too hyped up about the whole world domination thing. Magneto may be crazy, but he was right about the fact that there was a war coming. The treatment she and other mutants had received since their "outing" a few weeks ago, along with the experimentation on mutants such as Wolverine left no doubt in her mind about that. She just wasn't sure yet what the right answer to the whole problem was.

Yes, he was good looking; scratch that, he was one of the sexiest men she had ever met. And he knew it. That was part of the problem. She was an expert at put-downs and avoidance. She could stop a flirt at fifty paces. But not this guy. She had expected him to leave her alone after she smacked him that time, but he just kept coming back. He wasn't fazed by her insults, he just took what she threw and gave it right back to her with a twinkle in those beautiful eyes. He was gorgeous, confident, cocky as hell, and dear god, how she wanted him. And that was his greatest sin. He made her feel. She had worked so hard to keep people away, at a distance so they wouldn't affect her, wouldn't make her feel anything dangerous, anything that would make her want to do anything foolish. But he made her want to be foolish. Human skin was her forbidden fruit, and he made her want to taste, to touch, to wish for things she couldn't have. Wishing did no good though, and it was like a vicious little circle in her mind. This of course made her resent the person responsible. And the dreams really haven't helped.

_I've never fantasized like this about anybody, not even when I liked Scott. Then again I could never imagine him behaving like that with a girl, not even Jean. Poor lil Miss Perfect. If only I could touch, I'd show that Swamp Rat a thing or two._

Despite the inexperience forced upon her by her mutation, Rogue read quite a bit and had an excellent imagination. Gambit seemed the type who would be adventurous in the bedroom and the thought of what she'd like to try on him kept her dreams firmly planted in the "R" rating category.

_Damn him. There I go again. I'd like to knock that smirk off his face for what he's doing to me._

Dirty thoughts about the Cajun weren't going to get her to school though. Rogue did her best to boot the Swamp Rat out of her mind and started going about her day.

O-o-o-o-O

High school. Remy was glad he didn't have to go through that anymore. He didn't know how Rogue was able to stand it. The time he'd spent around her the past few weeks had confirmed his first impressions of her. She was intelligent and strong-willed, with no patience for idiots. And Bayville High seemed to be just full of them. During his observations of her during his free time (even evil minions get a day off) he had seen her defend herself and her friends against the anti-mutant bigots of the school with a style and class that made him want to applaud. She showed concern for those around her with her actions while at the same time keeping everyone at a distance. She gave little sign of anything or anyone affecting her; in fact she seemed to put up as good a mask as he himself did. Over the years he'd become very good in making sure that people saw only what he wanted them to see, and that this girl was able to do the same with a similar talent intrigued him. It made him want to know what could crack that mask, and made the chase he was making a little richer.

He had to admit, she was good. So far the most he had gotten for his trouble was a slap in the face and some rather good insults; some of which he wasn't sure were physically possible. Normally he'd have had a girl and been over her by now; Rogue was proving to be every bit the challenge he thought she would be and then some. No girl was impossible though, not even her. He knew that he affected her; their first two meetings had proven that. The question was what would it take to get her to admit it, to show that the Ice Queen had a heart. He'd heard the name that some of the others called her, and thought it rather fitting, if not a little sad. Self- imposed exile from human emotion couldn't be easy, and just wasn't right; especially for such a beautiful girl like her.

Someone needs to show that girl that life and love don't stop at one's skin, and as no one else seems to want to try, might as well be Remy LeBeau that does it.

Remy was sitting up on a tree branch outside the school, waiting for classes to be let out. He supposed that one could call what he was doing stalking, but since he didn't have the advantage of living in the same house as her, and they didn't run in the same crowd, he had to make his own luck and meet up with her where he could.

He heard the bell ring that announced the end of school for the day and waited for her to come out. He had noticed that she tended to wait and leave after the main rush of students had departed. She didn't seem to like crowds and with her mutation, frankly he couldn't blame her. Finally she came out and leaving the company of her friends from the Institute, started off down the street. He waited until the other kids from Xavier's had driven off before attempting to join her. Despite his chase, he didn't want to cause any trouble for her. Magneto may not care too much if he seduced an X-girl, but he was sure Xavier wouldn't look too kindly on it and the other X-Men would be sure to have something to say about it if an Acolyte was bothering one of their own. Summers and Wolverine in particular seemed to be the types that would be rather unforgiving when it came to Mags' boys.

Confident that they wouldn't be disturbed now, he caught up with her easily as she walked down the street and slipped an arm around her shoulders.

" 'ello _petite_, have a nice day at school? "

Startled, Rogue jumped a tiny bit and jerked away from him. Looking over, she saw who it was.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Doesn't Mags have anything better for you to do than bother me? "

"Not everything I do is for him, _Chere_. Is it so hard to believe that Remy wants to see you of his own free will?"

"Umm..let me think about that for a minute. Why yes, I do find it hard to believe. Guys won't usually chase a girl unless they're looking to get something, and since you can't and won't get anything from me I really have to question your motives. As well as your sanity." This last remark was made with a smirk, and Rogue started walking a little faster, away from him.

"If _Chere_ thinks she doesn't have anything to offer a man, she'd be very surprised to learn otherwise. Remy can think of many ways to."

"I'm sure Remy can, but as I keep telling him, I'm not interested. Any ideas on why Remy can't understand this?"

"Because I don't believe you. You're very good at the whole Ice Queen persona, but Remy's seen enough masks to know when someone is wearing one. "

"Why the hell am I even listening to you? Gimme one good reason why I shouldn't slap you again." Rogue was starting to look annoyed at this point.

"Because you like Remy, don't you? Why don't you come out for coffee with me this weekend? Take your mask off for a little while, Remy's sure it gets tiresome wearing it. Come on, no one needs to know" He used his softest, most wheedling voice now.

"I most certainly do not like you, Cajun. You annoy the hell out of me."

"You're lying again _Chere_. You could've tried to flatten me several times already, but you haven't. You could avoid me but you don't. Maybe you like Remy's company a little more than you want to admit?"

"Maybe I don't want to change my habits just to get rid of one of Buckethead's boys who seems to have more ego than common sense."

"Maybe but I don't think that's true. Come out with me, Rogue. It's just coffee; there's this little coffee shop in town where the misfits and mutants hang out, and if Remy misbehaves he'll let you wipe the floor with him. Please?" He was giving her the puppy dog look by this time, and he could see the tiniest crack of a smile on her face. It was amazing the change a smile did to her. Remy wished she would do it more often.

"Fine Swamp Rat, but you'd better behave yourself. And no more trying to guess what kind of underwear I'm wearing, got it?"

"Got it, _Chere_. Remy will be a saint. Meet me at the Pour House on Friday at 8? "

"Fine, whatever. Now go away, we're almost at the Institute and I don't want to get the third degree for talking to you."

"As you wish, _petite_. Try not to miss Remy too much until then." Grabbing Rogue's gloved hand and kissing it, he was gone before she could make a sarcastic remark.

Coffee with Rogue. Okay, so it wasn't a candlelit dinner, but it was a start.


	8. Chapter 8

AN

AN

AN: Sorry about the delay, folks. Nice to know people are still following this.

There was a coffee house called The Pour House in Derry, NH. Very cool place once upon a time. I don't know if it's still there now. The Anti-Swamp Rat Defense System belongs to Eternity's Voice, and is used with her permission. Everything else belongs to Marvel, except for Remy's dust bunnies.

O-o-o-o-O

The Pour House was a little coffee house on the outskirts of town; not the worst neighborhood, but you wouldn't want to spend too much time around any of the dark alleys there either. The focus of the room was the coffee bar in the middle, set up much like a regular bar, but to provide caffeine rather than alcohol. Intimately small tables were scattered around the room, and two couches and a recliner created a kind of nook in the back; where there was a bookcase that people were free to borrow from and read while sipping their favorite concoction. The atmosphere was laid back and friendly to both those arriving with others or just those who wanted to be alone. This agreeable attitude made it popular with the local mutant population and those who just didn't fit in normally. Nobody cared who you were there, which was what had attracted Remy to the place ever since he first came to Bayville. Here he could sit back and relax, people watch if he wanted, and basically not worry about what those around him thought. Naturally it was the perfect place to take someone as uncomfortable with people as Rogue was.

The past few days hadn't been easy. He didn't want to give Rogue an excuse to get mad and back out on their date so he had been a good boy for once and left her alone. To say he had been bored was an understatement. The level of entertainment around the Acolyte base was so low that it made him almost consider starting up his dust bunny colony again. John had gone so far as to create a blazing shrine to his fiery X-goddess. Normally Remy would observe John's antics with a laugh but when the shrine threatened to overtake Remy's bedroom it immediately stopped being funny.

Strangely he found himself missing his little goth girl. Normally he'd retreat to his dirty little fantasies, which had not decreased in frequency or naughtiness of content over the past few weeks, but for some reason he was thinking of her in non-X-rated terms as well. Thoughts of getting her pissed off were becoming almost as fun as thoughts of getting her off. Almost. He told himself it was just because she got this gleam in her eyes when she was mad that was incredibly sexy, but any time he did this he swore he could hear this little voice in the back of his head laughing its ass off at him. He tried to ignore that as much as possible; one should not pay attention to any voices in one's head, especially if that voice is laughing at you.

But finally, it was Friday, and here was Remy on his favorite couch at The Pour House, doing a bit of people watching and looking out for his _Chere_. Whoever was running the stereo tonight was in the mood for Garbage and "Stroke of Luck" was playing in the background at a comfortable level. He was hoping for a bit of luck himself. As much as he enjoyed getting Rogue mad, Remy knew he'd never get anywhere with her if he couldn't make her relax around him.

Lost in his thoughts as he was, he almost missed the door opening. Looking up, he saw his vision pass through the door and into the coffee shop. She looked around the place with slightly wary eyes, but then relaxed as she seemed to find it to her liking. He hadn't caught her eye yet, so he took the moment to let his eyes move over her figure, repainting her in his memory. She didn't seem to let her mutation impede her style. On her, the soft, sheer fabrics and dark, rich colors tantalized and drew attention more than skimpier clothes did on others, at least to his eye anyway. She never seemed to receive any attention from the men around her, even those she lived with; so he supposed that they just didn't see what he saw in her. Remy figured that was their loss though; it just meant he wouldn't have to share her attention with another.

She was searching the room now with her eyes, looking for him. There. He had her. Her eyes seemed to brighten a little as she moved to the back of the room to join him.

He would have and keep her attention, whatever it took to do it.

O-o-o-o-O

Rogue had to admit, the boy had good taste. The coffee house had a nice, relaxed atmosphere that she could definitely get into. She wondered again though, what on earth she was doing here. What flaw in her anti-swamp rat defense system had allowed him to convince her to meet with him. She wasn't really worried about any nefarious plot by Magneto; Remy had had numerous opportunities to kidnap her on the various occasions he found her alone and hadn't, so she doubted he would try something like that in a public place. No, Remy seemed to be doing this for himself, but she couldn't figure out why a player like him would bother wasting his time with her. He had to realize that if he was looking for an easy lay, she was a dead end in that department. But that was his problem. If he thought he would get anywhere with her, he had another thing coming; in the meanwhile she could enjoy her eye candy and have a laugh at his expense at the same time.

Even though he had left her alone the past few days, she still hadn't stopped dreaming about Remy. If anything, the dreams had gotten worse. They grew from the R to the NC-17 rating and she often woke up sweating from the intensity of what he had done to her in her imagination. She told Kitty they were nightmares, and in a way they were. Lusting after Magneto's Cajun lackey was sheer torture. Even if she could act out her fantasies, there was still the opposite team issue. Though he didn't seem interested in world domination, she doubted he would join any team out of the goodness of his heart.

So why was she here again?

_Hell if I know_

She glanced around the room, looking for the object of her nightmares. She found it sitting in the back of the room, reclining comfortably on a couch, gazing at her. He gave her a wink as she started towards him, as if he knew what she had been thinking.

"Nice little place Swamp Rat, come here often?"

"Merci, _Chere_, I thought you'd like it. I found this place when I first came to Bayville. Their coffee's the best around." He reached for her hand but she kept it out of his way and sat down on the couch, keeping a good space between them.

"So what would you like to drink? Remy's buying."

"Are you ever going to start using my name, Swamp Rat?"

"Non, _Chere_. It suits you so much better than Rogue. Besides, last time Remy checked his name wasn't Swamp Rat."

"Fine, Remy . So are you saying that if I start using your name you'll start using mine? And I'll take a chai."

"Non, I never said that. I still like_ Chere_ better than Rogue." He gave her a wink and left to get her drink.

"Argh! Damn Cajun." Rogue settled back into the cushions of the couch and sulked. She couldn't let that cocky man get to her. Nothing wrong with stealth ogling though; admiring the view he presented from behind as he walked up to the coffee bar.

He returned a few minutes later with her drink, and after handing it to her, sat back down on the couch, this time a bit closer to her. Seeing as how Rogue was already sitting at the end of the couch, she didn't have anywhere else to go and so was somewhat trapped. Rogue leaned back into the cushions to give herself some space and sipped her drink, the sweet spice of the chai smoothing her mood a bit.

"I'll make a deal with you, Cajun. You stop talking in that damn annoying third person and I'll stop calling you Swamp Rat."

"So you don't want me to stop calling you by your new nickname?"

"No, I figure you'll do it anyway, no matter how many times I ask you to stop." She didn't want to admit that she was getting used to the endearment.

"Anything for you _Chere_", he smirked.

"So why are we here Remy? What do you want with me?"

"See, now was that really so hard? I like the way my name sounds coming from your mouth." He smirked again, then relaxed against the cushions and sighed. "Is it really so hard to believe that I just want to spend some time with you, get to know you a little better?"

"Frankly, yes it is. Why would you waste your time with someone you know you can't get anywhere with?"

"Rogue, you are more than your skin. You seem to forget that." He wasn't smirking anymore; in fact he actually looked serious for once. "You don't seem to let anyone else forget it either. Damn me for daring to look past your little mask, but I see something more than a poison shell and I want to see more of it."

Rogue was shocked. Ever since she came to the Institute, no one had talked to her like this. Other than Kitty, the other people in the mansion seemed content to stay within the boundaries Rogue set for them and didn't make any real attempts to get past her barriers. She narrowed her eyes.

"Did you ever think that maybe there's a reason for that? People get hurt when they get close to me."

"But your friends know about your mutation and they know to be careful. You shouldn't have to take all the responsibility on yourself. Besides, I can understand your not wanting them to get hurt, but since you don't like me you really shouldn't care whether I get hurt or not, now should you?"

"You're right, I don't like you. That doesn't mean I want your thoughts in my head. It's crowded enough in there as it is already."

Remy smiled. "I never thought you to be a liar, _Chere_. But surely we can just talk without any danger of my getting into your head. See, here we are, on a couch together, and no one is getting hurt. Now where is the harm in that?" He used his gloved fingers to brush a stray lock of white hair out of her face. She fought the urge to flinch as his fire lit eyes glowed warmly at her.

How could she explain to him how hard it was, the temptation she fought when people were close to her? Touch was such a simple thing to others, but to her it was the bane of her existence, and every person around her was a reminder of what she couldn't have.

She finished her chai. "It's not that easy Remy. You're a thief; imagine being in a jewelry store surrounded by beautiful diamonds and gold, but not being allowed to steal a single thing. That's what it's like for me Remy. I just find that it is much better for everyone if I stay out of the jewelry store." She got to her feet. "Thanks for the drink Remy, but I think I'd better go now."

With a tiny, wistful smile she turned and walked out of the coffee shop, leaving a thoughtful-looking Cajun behind her.


	9. Chapter 9

AN

AN

AN: You're crazy if you think I own the X-Men

O-o-o-o-O

"PULL!"

_dodge_

_charge_

_toss_

BOOM

"Again, mon ami!"

Remy blew up the brick that Piotr threw at him with ease, having a new card ready in his hand to charge almost as soon as the first one left. Faster and faster he moved, starting to take out the bricks almost as soon as they were thrown. Now out of bricks, the metal-skinned mutant charged at Remy, planning to bowl him over; but the thief pulled out his staff to vault over Piotr, and landing behind him, made a swift turn and swept his opponent off his feet with the adamantium pole.

"All that metal makes you too slow!"

Piotr muttered a few curses in Russian under his breath and got up to repeat his attack. Again and again Remy dodged the charges and blows, moving through the air almost effortlessly. He could do these exercises almost in his sleep, the instinctive movements giving him the opportunity to clear his head and focus on his current dilemma.

Rogue.

He hadn't expected her to walk out on him like that, and she'd given him food for thought. She apparently was going to be a greater challenge than he thought, and he'd have to rethink his approach. How does one seduce a person deprived of one of the most basic senses, and considers everyone around her a painful reminder of what she can't have?

And why the hell was he doing this anyway?

Okay, so she was beautiful. Scratch that, she was the most divine creature he'd ever seen. But it was likely that he'd never be able to touch her, to feel that creamy skin under his fingers, taste that mouth that he just knew would be incredibly sweet. Like everyone else, he liked to have his cake and eat it too. _Dieu, the thoughts that brings up..concentrate, Remy_ Having something at arms length was just not his style. But there was such a fire to her, a passion buried deep inside that he could sense just dying to be let out. And damn it, he wanted to be the one to experience it. There was no one in this hick town that could be a match for her the way he could; he just needed to make her see that.

_So she wants the diamonds and gold but thinks she can't steal without breaking the prize. Maybe she just needs to learn there's more than one way to get what you want._

_But first I need to get her to talk to me again, neh?_

BAM!

"Comrade, you are supposed to be paying attention."

"_Dieu_, Piotr, thanks for the...ouch..reminder"

_Note to self: no spacing out around large metallic Russians._

O-o-o-o-O

Monday again. Oh joy. She supposed she should be happy; going to school would give her a reason to do something other than think about Friday night and the all too brief time she had spent with the Cajun. No, Remy. She loved the way the name tasted on her tongue. It was the kind of name that should be purred instead of spoken; but as much as she wouldn't mind practicing how it felt, she would definitely get some strange looks if she went around saying Remy all weekend.

Why on earth had she walked out on him? Despite the barriers she put up around herself, there was a tiny part of her that she usually tried to ignore that actually wanted someone to try to get around the walls she made and find the person behind them. And now that was happening.

But why did it have to be HIM?

Of all the people in the world, it had to be Magneto's Cajun thief of a lackey. That cocky, stubborn, conceited ass. _speaking of asses..stop drooling Rogue_ She insulted him, cursed at him, even slapped him; still he pursued her.

And she walked out on him. He saw right past her façade, and she left him sitting there in the coffee house. She had been right with her analogy; she did see people as jewels in a store that she could never steal. She just couldn't let him know that he was the brightest jewel of all.

School was crazy as always, but Rogue was on a sort of autopilot, only half acknowledging what was going on around her. She was trying to decide what she was going to do about Remy. Was he being sincere or was he just trying to play some kind of game with her? Even if he was being sincere, how do you date someone you're supposed to be fighting? The whole thing was making her want to bang her head against the wall; no, better yet, HIS head. Why should she suffer alone?

She stopped at her locker to get the books for her last class, thoughts of giving that swamp rat a headache making her smirk. Her smile stopped when she saw the little silver box sitting on top of the books in her locker. What the hell?

Looking around to make sure she wasn't being watched, Rogue opened the lid on the box and gazed down at the contents. Lying there on a bed of cotton was a delicate chain of silver holding a small pendant in the shape of a mask; black enamel with tiny rubies for eyes. In the box, beneath the necklace, was a note.

_Chere,_

_Please forgive this Cajun if I drove you away the other night. That's the last thing I wanted, but to see a beautiful thing such as yourself hide away from the world is sad beyond words. You say you want the gold and jewels of life; they can be had without destroying them. The mask you wear hides too much, maybe even from yourself I think. Perhaps you could try wearing this one instead? It would look so much better on you._

_I would like to talk to you again; tomorrow at the park after school, your favorite tree?_

_Til then ma petite,_

_-R_

The necklace was beautiful. Rogue gazed at it for a moment, the colors a clear reminder of those eyes she could never look away from, and slipped it around her neck, tucking the pendant beneath the collar of her shirt. She pondered the words of the note. _He wants to see me again. I walked out on him, but he wants to see me again. He thinks_ _I'm beautiful_.

She touched the chain of the necklace as she headed to class, making a mental note to herself not to get a ride after school tomorrow. She was going window shopping.

O-o-o-o-O


	10. Chapter 10

AN

AN

AN: Okay, I've decided to slip in a little more French here and there. Blame Babelfish for any mistakes. I certainly don't own any of this, except for the design of Rogue's necklace.

O-o-o-o-O

Rogue spent the next day at school in a tiny daze, a slightly confused smile on her mouth. Her fingers played with the silver chain around her neck, mixed with a couple of other random chains to prevent notice from the others. The last thing she wanted was anyone from the mansion noticing the gift and asking questions she wasn't ready to answer. Every so often she'd take the note from the back pocket of her jeans and re-read it. She wanted to scoff at his words and throw the paper away, but a tiny part of her wondered if the swamp rat was right. Was she hiding too much? Could she have what she wanted, be close to others without hurting them?

Another part of her said she shouldn't be listening to him, that anyone crazy or stupid enough to take orders from Buckethead shouldn't be listened to, but right now he was the only one talking and making any kind of sense. As much as she loved her friends at the Institute and knew they wanted her to be happy, she couldn't help but see the instinctive fear when she came close and hated to see them flinch; something he never did. He seemed to be genuinely unafraid of her, and apparently had no qualms about getting close to her. She had to admit, it was rather refreshing, but even if he wasn't nervous, SHE was. Remy was temptation in a trench coat, and it would be so easy for her to forget what she was when around him, and give in to her baser instincts.

But what did she really know about him? Other than the fact that he was a New Orleans swamp rat, a powerful mutant and supposedly excellent thief who worked for Mags, looked great in leather pants (and anything else he chose to wear), and had good taste in jewelry, she realized she knew nothing about him. Did she want to know him though? She wasn't really sure of the answer to that. The warring parts of her fought almost as much as her psyches on a bad day and she couldn't really be sure of anything. All she knew was that her social situation at the Institute was boring her to the point of insanity and she was being offered the opportunity to possibly explore something new and interesting. Besides, it wasn't like he was asking her to meet him in a dark alley or anything; if he tried anything at the park she could just kick his ass.

And with that reassurance to herself she was able to continue the rest of her day.

It was a sunny day when school ended; giving validity to Rogue's excuse to the others that she wanted to visit the park for some alone time rather than ride home with them. As she made her way to the park, she tried to tell herself that the butterfly orgy in her stomach was due to nervousness over meeting an enemy, not excitement over meeting with a walking piece of hot Cajun spice.

_Speaking of hot Cajuns..._

He was leaning against her tree, over the spot where she usually sat. A cool breeze played with his hair as he gazed in her direction, waiting for her. She wondered if that hair was as soft as it looked, and wished she could run her fingers through it. Thoughts like that were bound to get her in trouble though, so she tried her best to banish them from her mind as she approached him.

When she reached the tree she found herself at a loss for something to say; her first instinct was to say something nasty and derogatory, but where have her instincts left her until now, except lonely? She gave him a tiny, nervous smile.

"The necklace, it's beautiful. Thank you."

Remy smiled softly back at her. "You're welcome, _chere_. Will you sit awhile?" He motioned to the ground underneath the tree.

"Um..sure."

O-o-o-o-O

Remy was surprised; he had almost expected her not to show, and now that she was here he wasn't quite sure what to say to her. This was new to him; normally he had no problem talking to a _femme_. He didn't know if it was the coffee house or getting a near-concussion from Piotr during training but the little voice in the back of his head that had just laughed at him before was now cursing at him and saying a whole bunch of other rather unpleasant things. It was really quite eloquent too; if he wasn't the target he'd be amused. It wasn't any fun getting cussed at by the voice in your head though, and for the first time he questioned where his desire was taking him. It had never been this difficult to get what he wanted before, but instead of turning him off it was drawing him deeper.

He felt like he'd driven her off from the coffee house, and he was sorry for that. It pleased him to see her finger the necklace around her throat; it was another chink in her armor. And was she actually smiling at him? Small as it was, it still lit up her face. Could he coax another out of her?

"I'm glad you came." Remy took her hand as he sat down beside her and instead of kissing it, just stroked her gloved knuckles softly before releasing it.

"I..I thought I should apologize for walking out on you the other night. It was kinda rude."

He had to grin a little at her. "This, from the girl who offered to give me a sex-change operation _sans_ anesthesia?"

Rogue smirked back at him. "Well that time you deserved it." And Remy supposed he had; asking her if she spat or swallowed wasn't very smart, but it was so much fun getting a rise out of her and when she blushed she was just absolutely adorable.

"Maybe, but you are _tres belle_ when you blush; the color in your face becomes you."

"Swamp Rat, if I wanted color in my face I wouldn't wear the makeup."

Remy pouted. "_Chere_, what happened to Remy? Are you breaking our agreement already?"

"Sorry but I call a spade a spade. Or in this case, a rat a rat. So what are we doing here, anyway?"

He could see he was doing okay so far; she had a slight scowl on her face but wasn't glaring at him yet. "Like I said before, I want to know you better. I see something I like past all that makeup. I think maybe we're not so different, Rogue."

She narrowed her eyes at this. "I don't see what we have in common. At least I don't work for Magneto."

"Ah, but didn't you start on the wrong side of the tracks as well? I know you didn't start off with the X-Men."

She seemed surprised at this at first, but then seemed to concede his point. "I'll give you that, but the difference is you're still on the other side."

"True, but Mags and I have a contract. What kind of thief, or person for that matter would I be if I went around breaking agreements?"

"So you're saying you're not with him because you agree with his cause?"

Remy had to shrug. "This is business. I figure there's going to be a war regardless of which side I'm on. A good thief doesn't let morals get in the way of his livelihood. Can you honestly say you completely believe in Xavier's dream though?"

Rogue looked pensive for a moment. "I'm not sure Remy. I want to believe; the Professor's given me a home and the closest thing I've had to a family since I left Mississippi, but I've seen the hatred and fear in too many people's eyes and the destruction that can cause to think anything other than that there will be a conflict, no matter what the Professor hopes for. I don't want to be one of the ones starting the war though; I don't want to hurt others. I would rather stay with the X-Men and work for the Professor's dream, if I have to choose a side. Everyone needs something to hope for." Remy could see her mask slip a little, and the fire behind it was beautiful. It must be nice to have things to hope for, to have hope. He'd given up hoping for anything beyond just making it through another day a long time ago. Could she have enough for both of them?

"Remy, why are you staring at me?"

"_Vous etes beau quand vous vous laissez montrer. Vous devriez le faire plus souvent."_ (You are lovely when you let yourself show. You should do it more often)

Rogue blushed. "Thanks, I think."

Remy smiled at this. "You speak French, _Chere_?"

"Irene insisted. I always wanted to visit New Orleans when I was growing up, and she said I would have to learn French before I could go. I understand better than I speak though."

"Irene?"

"My guardian. I haven't seen her since I left Caldecott."

Remy nodded. He wasn't sure what Rogue knew about her guardian, otherwise known as Destiny, so he decided not to say anything regarding her being a mutant. "Did you ever get to visit New Orleans?"

She looked a little sad. "No, my mutation manifested before we could go, and then I ended up here in Bayville."

"I'm sorry to hear that. It's a beautiful city."

The corner of her mouth turned up almost into a smile. "Of course you'd say that, Cajun. Don't you think you're a little biased?"

"Maybe, but it's still true." He laughed. "Do you think you'll ever go?"

"I hope to some day."

"Bien, I hope you plan to have a good guide with you. New Orleans can be a dangerous place if you don't know your way around."

Rogue smirked. "Are you offering yourself for the position?"

"If I was, would you accept?"

"I don't know, I don't think I know you well enough for that."

"Then that's all the more reason for us to get to know each other better. You couldn't possibly find a better guide than _moi_."

"We'll see Cajun, we'll see. You already know a bit about me, but what about you?"

"Well _Chere_, like you I was adopted. The man who would become _mon pere_ caught me trying to pick his pocket when I was a boy. I had been living on the streets until that time. Instead of giving me to the police, he took me into his home. Turns out he was a thief too, kind of a family business. Was good to me too; raised me along with his own son."

"Sounds like you were lucky. So why did you leave?"

Remy sighed. He should have figured she'd come around to that question. "That's a long story, petite. Let's just say that I made some mistakes and had to leave home." Right now was not the time to bring up Belladonna, or the Assassins.

Rogue surprised him by giving him a sympathetic look. "Don't that sound familiar. I guess we do have some things in common."

"See? You should listen to Remy more often."

"Hey, what happened to not talking in third person?"

"What happened to not calling me Swamp Rat?"

"Well if you don't want to be called a rat, don't act like one." She then proceeded to surprise Remy by sticking out her tongue at him. He couldn't help but start laughing.

O-o-o-o-O

The next hour was spent in trading jokes and good-natured insults. They also discussed their favorite books, music and movies. Rogue was amazed to find herself relaxing around him, enough to share some amusing stories of some of the antics that went on around the mansion. Remy told her stories about some of the more outrageous things that the other Acolytes had done, including Pyro's shrine to her teammate Amara. Rogue wasn't sure whether the girl would be flattered by the pyromaniac's crush or not, but there certainly wasn't any way that she could tell her about it anyway; not without giving away her new friendship with the Cajun.

Wait a minute, when did she start thinking about him as a friend? This wasn't good at all. Not Remy personally; he was intelligent, funny and had a way of being completely at ease with himself that for some reason seemed to rub off on her. It was the situation that wasn't good. No matter how much she might like him, the others at the mansion would never accept her having a friendship with the Acolyte. She could just hear the lectures about security risks and being careful already; not to mention Logan's death threats. He would never accept anyone who worked willingly with Sabertooth.

Was it worth it to possibly get in trouble and alienate her other friends in order to get to know this man better? She wasn't sure, but she thought she might like the opportunity to find out. Looking at her watch, she realized the amount of time that had passed.

"Remy I'm sorry, but I really need to get back home. It's getting late in the afternoon, and people are going to wonder where I am."

"I understand,_ petite_. I don't want you in trouble with anyone over there." He looked a little disappointed. Could he possibly have been enjoying her company as much as she had enjoyed his?

"Do you want to try the coffee house again this weekend? I promise not to walk out on you this time."

Remy looked surprised and pleased at the same time. "I'd love to, _Chere_. Same time?"

"Okay. Thanks for this afternoon." She bit her lip, trying not to blush. "I really enjoyed myself."

"I did too. Until I see you Friday?"

"Friday it is. See ya around, Remy." He took her hand again and kissed it this time. Rogue smiled; a real one this time, and headed out of the park.

O-o-o-o-O


	11. Chapter 11

AN

AN

AN: Pardon the delay folks; I've been trying to work some things out regarding plot and dealing with other plot bunnies that have been popping up unannounced. Ignoring plot bunnies on krac is not easy.

O-o-o-o-O.

Friday night, and the Bayville area's only techno club was packed. Sultry beats tinged with French flowed through the speakers; matching the smooth Cajun that moved across the floor to a table in the back. Feminine eyes of every type followed his every step, but they might as well have not been there; a vision stayed in his mind's eye, and no other would do.

Remy could hardly believe his good fortune. Last week at the coffee house had gone so much better than the first time they had met there; now that the ice had been broken between them some more, Rogue was more willing to open up to him and talk. He couldn't remember the last time he had ever enjoyed himself so much just talking to a girl, if it had ever happened. He was stuck fast. Just the sound of her rich, sweet voice flowing through his ears was enough to turn him on. It imprinted itself into his memory and his imagination used it later to voice the scripts of his fantasies.

_Kiss me Remy_

_Take me now Remy_

_I love you Remy_

They'd talked of everything and nothing; shared little pieces of themselves but not delving too deep into each other's pasts. He was starting to wonder if he could trust her to share his secrets; who he was and what he had done. His everyday thief instincts screamed at him no, his past was too dark and couldn't be shared with anyone; but that little voice in the back of his head that he had started listening to more and more was whispering to him that this was different, that SHE was different. That she could listen and accept him, and not back off in disgust. It was almost too much to hope for, but if there was even the smallest possibility then he had to take the chance. His private moments with Rogue were the highlights of his week, and the time spent away from her was becoming increasingly lonely. He'd gone out a few times, and tried flirting with some other girls just to prove to himself he could, but it just wasn't the same. The others didn't have the same fire, weren't able to be a match for him. Not like Rogue.

His reverie was stopped by a flash of auburn and white coming through the door of the club. His cherie was dark beauty tonight. A black dress with spaghetti straps fell loosely to her knees, with an overdress of what appeared to be a crocheted net falling over it. Black silk gloves up to her elbows, platform sandals and a black velvet choker around her neck completed the picture. Her eyes seemed to pin him instantly from across the room, and she wore a tiny smile as she moved to join him. _Dieu_, just watching that girl walk makes a man want to go to confession.

O-o-o-o-O

"'allo _Chere_, can I get you a drink?"

"Hiya Remy," her smile brightened as she sat down near him, "I'll take a Coke, thanks."

After he got their drinks they sat and chatted for a few minutes. Last week Remy had told her about Pyro's writing career and Rogue thought it was hilarious that Kitty and Amara's favorite romance novelist was an Acolyte.

"Kitty picked up his latest book this week; she and Amara are already arguing about when she'll be done reading it. Being a princess I don't see why Amara doesn't just buy it herself, seeing the allowance she gets, but it's hysterical watching them fight. It's a good thing they don't know who St. John Allerdyce really is; knowing them they'd probably try to get his autograph in our next battle with you guys, if not try to protect him from the rest of us."

Remy smiled. "Are you saying you won't protect Remy?"

"Well, only so I can have the pleasure of kicking your ass myself, Swamp Rat." Rogue grinned at him and took a sip of her drink.

"You wound me, _Chere_."

"You wish."

Remy leaned closer and gazed into her eyes. "Have I told you how _belle_ you look tonight, Rogue?"

She blushed. "Not yet, but I won't stop you."

"Well you do. Will you come dance with me?"

"I was wondering why we were at a club if we weren't going to do that sooner or later."

Rogue allowed herself the pleasure of taking Remy's gloved hand in hers and following him out onto the dance floor. His beautiful behind was encased in leather pants that left little to the imagination, and his wine colored shirt set off his eyes wonderfully. _Oh lordy lordy, someone up there likes me tonight._

Disturbed was singing about getting down with the sickness as Remy spun her facing away from him and pressed up behind her, the evidence of the effect she had on him brushing against her rear. She felt awkward, not having danced this close to anyone before; but he pulled her close to him and whispered in her ear, "Shhhh..._Chere_, just move with me." His soft breath tickled her ear and she tilted her head back to rest against his shoulder as he moved them to the rhythm. One hand kept her anchored against him while the other moved slowly up her side, caressing her gently. She began to keep up with him on her own and he trailed his teeth down the side of her ear, careful to make sure no skin touched. The sensation made her gasp and press back against him, shivers going through her skin. She felt beautiful, desired. ALIVE. She felt so out of character from her normal state of being, and that alone made it all the more exciting. Remy made her feel almost normal. She couldn't imagine being this way with anyone else, and wasn't sure if she wanted to be.

The music changed but they moved to a rhythm of their own. Remy turned Rogue around in his arms until she was facing him; then drew her close again to continue moving against her. Anywhere else people would be telling them to get a room, but here it didn't matter; there were other couples just as intense as they. Rogue grew bolder and ran her hands over Remy as freely as he ran his over her; gloved fingers feeling the muscles in his arms and chest, then stroking up his neck to play with his hair. Remy leaned to whisper hoarsely in her ear. "If you keep this up I can't guarantee that you'll make it home tonight." Rogue blushed hard and buried her face in his chest, a little embarrassed by her boldness and the statement of his desire.

They continued to torture each other for the next couple of hours, Remy even holding her close for the one slow song the DJ decided to throw in. Rogue was reminded of another night spent dancing in this man's arms; the only difference being that the first time was more like fantasy while this was anything but. They acknowledged who each other was and the world around them.

Finally Rogue noticed that it was getting late, and reluctantly told Remy that she had to leave. Remy helped her with her wrap and escorted her outside. Before taking her to the car she had borrowed from the Institute though, he pulled her gently into the alley next to the club and pressed her against the wall of the building; burying his face in her shoulder and sighing.

"_Chere_, do you have any idea what you do to me?"

"I...I think have an idea." Remy's warm breath near the skin of her neck was intoxicating, and she just wanted to melt right there. He lifted his face from her shoulder and reached into the pocket of his trench coat, pulling out a beautiful scarf of the sheerest burgundy silk. He rested the silk against her mouth as she stared up at him, unable to move, and just watched as his lips finally came to brush softly on hers. The touch was so light as to almost not be there; then it came again, firmer this time. Remy's mouth was so warm against hers, she felt like purring as she slipped her arms around his neck to pull him closer. His moist tongue touched her lips and she opened her mouth for him, deepening the kiss. He tasted so good; they kissed slowly for several minutes, grabbing air when they could until a little moan escaped the back of Rogue's throat as Remy broke the kiss and backed away from her.

"You need to go Rogue, before I can't let you." He sounded out of breath and his eyes glowed brighter than she had ever seen them. Reluctantly she brushed one more quick kiss against him before taking the scarf from her mouth and wrapping it from her neck. "Goodnight Swamp Rat." She smiled softly at him.

"Goodnight River Rat." Rogue looked at him strangely for a second, then laughed as she went to the car to return home.

When she got back to the institute she bamfed herself straight to the bathroom. _Guess there is one good thing about my powers; everyone thinks I went to the club with Risty and there's no way in hell I want Wolverine to smell Remy on me. _She undressed and stepped into the shower; and while washing her hair she found the slow song they'd danced to earlier going through her head and she couldn't help but do something she hadn't done in ages. Sing in the shower.

O-o-o-o-O


	12. Chapter 12

AN

AN

AN: And now for something slightly different. I don't know who "La Vie En Rose" belongs to, but it sure isn't me.

O-o-o-o-O

Jean dreamed of fire.

Not matches, or candles, or bonfires even, but something that could only be considered stellar in scale. Her universe burned. Heat so intense that nothing could remain within its scope.

Nothing but her.

Yet she did not find this frightening. Worlds fell to ash within her sight, anything living succumbed to the beautiful flame, but she survived. The fire was part of her, the heat running through her veins like nothing she had ever felt before; intoxication on a divine scale. Nothing could stand before her glory and survive. She was the heat, she was the flame, she was the fire and the resurrection, she was...she was...

But she always woke up before that name came to her, that true name that defined everything she was. Everything she had yet to be. And she always felt cold upon waking, missing that fire that hadn't really been there.

It started shortly after her power surge. Her telekinesis had improved, her telepathy stronger, and she discovered that with some practice, her mental shields grew to a point where she could even keep out the Professor. At one point she would never have dreamed of blocking him; he was her mentor and she loved him like a father. But once the dreams started, she felt that there were just some things that needed to be kept private. He would never understand about the fire, would want to delve deeper and find some way to prevent it. She knew it was coming; these were not just dreams, they were a message, a foretelling of her destiny. She was of two minds on this; on one hand she knew she should tell the Professor, that something this powerful was dangerous and he needed to be informed. On the other hand, part of her wanted the fire, craved it. She was so cold, she needed that heat in her veins; it warmed her more than anything ever had, more than friends, more than family, more than love. This part of her felt a tiny bit of shame for wanting something that had so much potential for evil; after all, what good can come from a destroyer of worlds? And for this reason she couldn't tell Professor Xavier. She was one of his most prized pupils; he would be disappointed in her and she didn't think she could take that. Also she knew that there was no way to prevent the fire's coming, if he tried to take that from her, as he most surely would if he knew, than he would only get hurt.

So she dreamed her dreams, and worked on her strength for the time when she would never be cold again. Tonight was one such night. She practiced slipping in and out of the minds of the other students without being noticed. For the most part, it was easy for her to do and the thoughts that went through the minds of her friends were simple and pleasant. Kurt dreamed of Kitty; Jean wondered if he knew that Kitty dreamed of him too. Evan dreamed alternately of skateboarding and beating Pietro to a pulp; Scott dreamed of her. She often found herself lingering on Amara's dreams; the princess also dreamed of fire, and Jean could find herself relating more to her and the Acolyte Pyro. Did he dream of fire as well? Somehow she was sure he did.

Wolverine's dreams were painful; after one night of reliving his experiences of Weapon X through his nightmares she decided not to go through his mind again. Ororo's were elemental in nature; but as she tended to favor wind and water over fire Jean found them a little too cold for her liking.

Moving on, Jean touched upon the one mind she usually had trouble reaching; the psyches in Rogue's head made her very hard to read and since gaining control over her borrowed powers (something no one else seems to have picked up on yet) she was now able to make mental shields matching Jean's own. Normally Jean when able was to get through at all she would find the girl experiencing the dreams and memories of those she had absorbed, but tonight she was awake. Awake and...

...singing?

Yes, for some unknown reason the Ice Queen was singing in the shower. Wait, what was she doing taking a shower so late? Curious, Jean prodded a bit further, careful not to make her presence known in Rogue's mind. The girl was very sensitive to telepaths. Jean saw images of Rogue kissing an incredibly handsome young man through a scarf, dancing with that same man in a club, talking with him in a park, dancing with him again at Mardi Gras, and finally the pair standing in awe of each other as the man handed her a charged card.

Charged card?

Jean realized who the young man was now; he was Gambit, Magneto's Acolyte. The one Rogue had complained about fighting back at the Sentinel fight. _Apparently she's forgiven him for that._ Jean thought to herself. _Not that I blame her, he's very good looking. What on earth was Rogue doing seeing an Acolyte though?_

_What should I do? Rogue's dating the enemy. It's not like when Kitty was seeing Lance; Avalanche is small potatoes compared to a mutant like Gambit._

Jean realized there was little she could do though. Rogue had done an admirable job covering her tracks so far, and the only way Jean could reveal Rogue's secret was if she revealed her own secret about what she had been doing with her powers. Rogue would be pissed, and that girl was not someone you wanted as an enemy. Not only that, but the Professor would be disappointed in her for going into other people's minds uninvited and it would eventually lead him into the subject of Jean's dreams and there was no way she could let him know about that. So she was stuck for now. She couldn't tell anyone what she knew, but she could keep an eye out for Rogue. She trusted Rogue's judgment, but Gambit was still an agent of Magneto and there was no telling what could happen.

Jean smirked to herself as she settled down to sleep.

_Well I guess she's over Scott now._

O-o-o-o-O

Remy was on fire. Lying on his bed, the Acolyte base quiet around him in the dead of night, memories of his night with Rogue refused to leave him. It had taken all his willpower not to take her home with him and reduce her to ashes with his desire. Now he lay with an erection in his gloved hand that throbbed to the point of pain. His touch became hers as he strove to drive her out of his mind and ease his suffering. He could still taste her through the scarf, feel her body against his; hear the noise she made when he stopped kissing her. "_Si doux_", he whispered, "_Si beau_" (so soft, so beautiful)

Finally driving himself over the edge, a strangled noise escaped his throat as he closed his eyes and saw her face. At last he could sleep.

The next morning the other Acolytes were greeted with the not-so-unusual sound of Remy singing in the shower. It was a good thing none of the others spoke French though; otherwise they would seriously their Cajun cohort's state of mind.

_Quand il me prend dans ses bras  
il me parle tout bras  
je vois la vie en rose  
il me dit des mots d'amour  
et ca m'fait quelque chose  
il est entre dans mon Coeur  
une part de bonheur  
dont je connais la cause  
c'est lui pour moi, moi pour lui, dans la vie  
il me l'a dit, l'a jure, pour la vie  
et des que je l'apercois  
alors je sens dans moi  
mon Coeur qui bat_

_Des nuits d'amour a plus finir  
Un ground bonheur qui prend sa place  
Les ennuis, les chagrins s'effacent  
Heureux, heureux a en mourir_

(Hold me close and hold me fast  
the magic spell you cast  
this is la vie en rose  
when you kiss me, heaven sighs  
and though I close my eyes  
I see la vie en rose  
When you press me to your heart  
I'm in a world apart  
A world where roses bloom  
And when you speak  
Angels sing from above  
Every day words  
Seem to turn into love songs  
Give your heart and soul to me  
And life will always be  
La vie en rose

I thought that love was just a word  
They sang about in songs I heard  
It took your kisses to reveal  
That I was wrong, and love is real)

As Remy left the bathroom, feeling clean and happy with the world, he met up with Magneto in the hall, who had a slightly bemused, slightly disgusted look on his face.

"If you're done serenading us Gambit, perhaps you could get ready for work. We're testing Charles' students today, and I need a thief, not a lounge singer. Then again, your voice might help out in battle..." The last sentence was muttered as Mags moved down the hall past him.

Who knew the Master of Magnetism had a sense of humor?

O-o-o-o-O

Rogue leaned her head back against the seat of the X-van. Buckethead had decided to start the day off by attacking an anti-mutant demonstration in town. He certainly knew how to ruin a weekend. She closed her eyes as she listened to her teammates around her talking about kicking Acolyte ass. She thought about one Acolyte's ass in particular she'd probably end up having to kick. _A shame too, it's such a cute ass_... She thought to herself.

She wasn't looking forward to having to meet Remy in battle, but they were both practical people and she was sure he wouldn't take it personally. Besides, even though he had since apologized for it, there was still the matter of that charged card to pay him back for. Not TOO badly though.

The scene was a mess. Mags had brought the Brotherhood along for the ride and Avalanche was taunting Cyclops as he dodged the visored mutant's optic rays; Scott's aim thrown off by the earthquakes Lance kept sending his way. Amara had made the mistake of facing Pyro in her Magma form, and he was having fun making her belly dance, the look on her face anything but seductive as she tried to free herself from his control. Wolverine and Sabertooth had their usual grudge match going on, and Rogue would have been happy to watch Sabby get his hairy ass handed back to him if she weren't looking out for a certain thief who seemed to be missing from the action. A small explosion a few feet away from her brought her back to her senses though, and she saw Gambit leaning against a building to her right.

"You're getting sloppy _Chere_; didn't you get enough sleep last night?" He smirked as he approached her, staff in hand.

Rogue backed into a defensive stance and whispered so that no one else could hear, "I don't want to fight you Remy, but I will if I have to."

"That's good; never let your guard down." He moved forward quickly and swept her off her feet with his staff, pinning her to the ground with his hands. His voice lowered. "I'd rather not fight you either, _petite,_ but I also don't want you fighting anyone else. This way I keep you safe. Make it look good; knock me out if it looks like things are winding up. If you must fight someone else, choose Piotr. There's a deck of cards in each pocket of my coat."

"That's good to know Swamp Rat, now get off of me." She got her feet up under him and pushed him off, then jumped back up ready to fight. It was almost a stalemate as they fought each other. Since she trained to avoid using her mutation as little as possible, her hand to hand skills were excellent and she had little trouble keeping up with agile Cajun. Anyone seeing them fight would have a hard time believing they had been in each others arms the night before. The insults ran hot and heavy as they dodged, punched and tackled; neither sparing the other, ranging from Rogue's questionable taste in fashion to Remy's skills in bed and in speaking English.

Eventually though, things started winding down. Logan had managed to knock out Sabertooth and Bobby freed Amara by trapping Pyro in a cube of ice up to his neck. Rogue took a quick look around and decided it was time to end it. Managing to pin Remy down to the ground, she removed a glove and whispered, "Okay Swamp Rat, anything you don't want me knowing right now, block it quick." With that she reached down and touched his face with her bare hand, Remy surprising her by not flinching.

"Good night _Chere_", he whispered before he passed out.

Rogue climbed back into the van with the others, then started laughing all of a sudden, a bemused look on her face. Jean gave her an inquiring look.

"What's got you so amused, Rogue?"

"Nothing. I just got an image from when I knocked out Gambit. I didn't know Acolytes sang in the shower."

O-o-o-o-O


	13. Chapter 13

AN

AN

AN: As usual, I own nothing and no one portrayed here. Also as usual, if the French is wrong, blame Babelfish.

I do have a question for you folks though. The plot bunny for my next multi- chapter story has given birth. It's going to be AU (romy of course, can't help it, they're my favorite couple). Should I explain the changes in the beginning or leave it alone for people to discover? One the one hand I know AU's can get confusing if you don't understand what's going on, but on the other hand I hate giving plot away. Opinions?

O-o-o-o-O

_No spacing out around large metallic Russians..._

_Quand il me prend dans ses bras..._

_Si doux...si beau..._

Rogue woke up blushing. Bits of recent memory picked up from Remy's brain were floating around her head, and all she had to say was.. _oh my_. Seeing herself through someone else's eyes was a definite boost to her ego. She never thought someone could think thoughts like that about her. Remy had a vivid imagination, and Rogue played a starring role in it.

"_Vous garcon vilain, ce qui suis moi allant faire avec vous_? (You naughty boy, what am I going to do with you?) She whispered to herself.

_What the hell? Since when is French the first thing that comes out of my mouth?_

_Damn Swamp Rat._

She played with some of the thoughts she had picked up. Remy sparring with Piotr and nearly getting brained when he gets distracted thinking about her, Remy singing in French in the shower _Somehow I just could never picture the Ragin' Cajun singing "La Vie en Rose" in the shower_ , Remy's whispers in the dead of night _no no no, better stay away from those Rogue, not unless you want to spend this morning's Danger Room session blushing_. All in all though, what it came down to was that she had another set of thoughts in her head. As if she didn't have enough of those already. It was getting hard to think straight sometimes with all these people floating around. At first they just affected her nightmares, now she was starting to experience flashes in the day as well. And she was keeping people's powers permanently too. In fact, if she didn't take her hand of off the alarm clock right now it was going to...

BOOM

_Merde_

"What the hell was THAT, Rogue?!"

"Sorry Kitty, I've still got the Swamp Rat's powers from yesterday."

"Oh, I see. That like, sucks. Now you need a new alarm clock. But hey, just a good excuse to go to the mall, right?"

"I'm overjoyed, can't you tell?"

"Oh, whatever. Just hurry up and get dressed. I don't want any extra sessions with Logan for being late." With that Kitty phased through the door, heading for the bathroom.

"Nobody's asking you to wait for me you know!" Rogue yelled at back at her.

_Bite me, Kitty-kat_.

Getting the crap beat out of her in the Danger Room was NOT the way Rogue liked starting a Sunday morning. True, she did have access to the powers she had absorbed previously, but nobody knew that yet. The Professor would be concerned and want to have her spend hours in the lab with Mr. McCoy, undergoing tests. Not that she didn't like Mr. McCoy, she just hated hospitals and the hospital atmosphere, and the med lab reminded her too much of a hospital. So she'd kept it to herself; she wasn't sure if the change was permanent anyway.

She finished getting dressed and headed out the door, filing away Remy's memories so she could concentrate on the Danger Room session and not get her butt kicked too badly. One stray thought she hadn't noticed previously made her pause though.

_Who is Destiny?_

"That was a good fight overall yesterday, kids, but as always there's room for improvement." Wolverine was giving his usual post fight lecture before starting the day's session. He looked around the Danger Room at the students in front of him. "Some of you mind telling me what you learned yesterday? Let's start with you, Cyke."

"Make sure to knock out Alvers before he starts shaking the ground."

"Right. Magma?"

"Never flame up around Pyro." Amara replied, blushing a little. She was still embarrassed about the whole belly-dancing incident.

"Right. What about you, Rogue?"

"Um...Gambit likes to sing French love songs in the shower?" The group looked at her for a minute, then started snickering; the girls getting dreamy looks on their faces as they no doubt imagined the handsome Cajun bathing.

"Uh, not exactly what I was going for, but we won't go there. That was more info than I wanted to know, kid. What I was thinking was that you should have taken your gloves off sooner when fighting Gumbo. You waited until you were right on top of him, and that ain't smart. He could have taken the advantage while you were baring skin; you were lucky he didn't. In the future try to work on getting the gloves off before you get so close to your target."

"Yes sir, I'll work on that."

"Good. Okay folks, let's get a move on. I doubt you want to spend all day here." Everyone voiced their opinion on that and Wolverine went up to the control room to start the session.

The program was a difficult one. They were fighting Sentinels and the action was fast and furious. Optic blasts and spikes shot through the air as the others dodged the metal monsters while working to take them out in their own fashion. Having no natural power of her own that was useful against inanimate objects, and wanting to cover for herself, Rogue borrowed some of Kitty's power and the two girls worked on phasing through one of the Sentinels in order to fry its circuits. Kitty had done her third pass through and Rogue was just coming out of hers when the recently absorbed energy started to fade. Panicking, she forgot about her reserve and automatically started to charge the robot. The entire thing started to glow with kinetic energy and Rogue remembered her reserves and managed to get clear just in time for the Sentinel to explode loudly. The simulation was brought to a crashing halt and Wolverine ran into the Danger Room.

"What the hell was that, Rogue?!"

She looked a little sheepish. "Umm...big robot go boom?"

"No shit kid. But what are you still doing with the Cajun's powers? You didn't hold on too long, did you?"

"NO! I just did a light touch, just enough to knock him out. I don't know why I still have his powers, okay? Leave me alone." Rogue stormed past Logan and out of the room.

"That's a wrap folks, get out of here." Logan dismissed them half- heartedly and gazed out the door Rogue had left through, a thoughtful look on his face.

Rogue walked quickly through the park, heading for her usual tree. She had showered and changed quickly, not wanting to talk to anyone after that morning's session. She knew they would just want to ask her about what had happened and she just wasn't ready to talk to anyone about her powers yet. Besides, using Remy's power had dredged his memories back up from where she had filed them earlier, and that one little thought she had found was dancing around her brain, refusing to leave. Other than the thought that was plaguing her so much, the other thing she had gotten from Remy was that he wanted to meet her here at the park today.

So here she was, and there he was; sitting beneath the tree and looking so delicious she wanted to eat him up. Memories of kissing him the other night started to return and she pushed them into the back of her mind; this was no time to start drooling.

"'allo _Chere_; did you have fun playing with my mind yesterday?"

"Oh yeah. I never pictured you as the type to sing in the shower. The others thought it was funny too." She smirked evilly at him as she sat down.

Remy pouted. "But Rogue, that was a private moment, just to share with you."

Rogue laughed. "Sorry Remy, but I couldn't help it. It was just too funny not pass along." She started to sober up then. "Listen Remy, I need to ask you something. I didn't get very many thoughts from you yesterday, but when I was filing them away one in particular just stuck out, and won't leave. I don't know why, but for some reason I feel like it has to do with me. Who is Destiny?"

Remy looked at her a little warily. "You mean you don't know?"

"No. I've never heard that name before."

"Well, Mags has files on all you X-Men, and I happened to read yours. I never said anything before because I wasn't sure if you knew about her or not, the file didn't give me any clues about that. Rogue, are you sure you want to hear this?

"Remy, if you know something about this, you need to tell me."

He didn't look happy to be talking about this subject. "Okay _Chere_, but I don't think you're going to like it. Destiny is a pre-cog, a mutant that can see the future. She's a secret member of the Brotherhood and has been Mystique's companion for years. You know her as Irene Adler. She's your guardian, Rogue."

O-o-o-o-O

Yes, I'm evil. I did a cliffhanger on purpose. Needed something to keep you guys happy while I work on some more major action.


	14. Chapter 14

AN: In case anyone is wondering, there's no Apocalypse here

AN: In case anyone is wondering, there's no Apocalypse here. I don't feel like dealing with him.

O-o-o-o-O

"What?!" Rogue felt like someone had come and hit her upside the head with a bat. Feeling glad that she was sitting down, she covered her face with one hand for a minute while she tried to calm down the voices that had started screaming at her at the news. Her beloved Irene, the woman who had taken care of her for as long as she could remember, was a mutant? Not only that, but was involved with Mystique? She shook her head quickly; still trying to clear her thoughts, then looked up at Remy again.

"Wait. You said Irene was Mystique's companion. What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't know anything about who blue and fuzzy's father is, but rumor around the Brotherhood is that Mystique plays for both teams, and she and Destiny are more than friends, if you know what I mean."

"Holy shit. I had no idea. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but, I just had no idea. Irene never mentioned much about her life before I came to live with her, now I guess I know why. No wonder she wanted me to go to Mystique when my power manifested. I always thought she had been deceived, like Mystique did to me. Now... holy shit." She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to hit something. She wanted to do ANYTHING, but all she could do was just sit there and feel her head spin from shock.

"Oh God, Remy..."

"Shhhh..._petite_...it will be okay." He sat next to her and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close. Rogue sank into his chest and closed her eyes, not feeling the strength to do anything except breathe. What do you say when you find out you've been played like a puppet, with the people you care about having pulled the strings?

"I don't know what to do Remy..." The pain in her heart reduced her voice to a whisper.

"Cherie, you don't have to do anything if you don't want to. Those two, they don't run your life anymore. You got away from them, and now you're doing something good with your life, what you think is right. They can't play you anymore." Remy's voice was soft as he tightened his arms around her and rocked her gently, his cheek lying against her hair. "Maybe I shouldn't have told you about this, _petite_."

"No, Remy, you did the right thing. I needed to know. Thank you."

"Maybe you should talk to Xavier about it, see if he can help you."

"No, I can't. He's going to want to know how I found out, and I just can't let him know. He might not let me see you again, and you've been more honest with me than anyone; I don't think I could take that."

"I'll be here for you Rogue; Xavier can't keep me away."

"Thank you Remy." Remy leaned back against the tree and Rogue relaxed against him, taking comfort in his warmth.

The next couple of weeks were relatively quiet. Rogue tried to call Irene eventually, but the number was disconnected. Being a pre-cog, she wondered if her guardian had foreseen Rogue's finding out the truth about her and Mystique's relationship and had dropped out of sight. The one letter she sent wasn't answered, and Rogue decided that Irene must not have had the courage to face her about the truth. _You raised me not to be a coward, Irene. I never thought you'd end up acting that way._

Eventually she was able to bury the pain and keep on going. If Irene didn't want to be a part of her life anymore, than that was her problem. Rogue had family and friends now who truly cared and were honest with her.

_Ah but Rogue, if they're truly your friends, why aren't you honest with them?_

Damn that little voice in her head. She knew it was her own, not anybody else's. The one that helped keep her anchored when all the other voices got out of hand. And they were doing a good job lately. She may have been able to bury the pain caused from learning the truth about Irene, but the psyches were getting harder to control. She was careful never to use her borrowed powers in front of anyone else, but since the incident in the Danger Room where she'd blown up that Sentinel, they had been popping out occasionally on their own. Luckily she'd been alone most of the other times this has happened, though. Logan had been watching her a little more closely since then though, and it was getting harder to sneak out to see Remy. So other than a second battle where she managed to wipe the floor with him, she hadn't really seen him other than a few times in the park after school. She did take him out for coffee to make up for the beating she had given him though. She couldn't tell if Logan knew she was lying when she said she was going out to see Risty, and she hated lying to him, but it beat telling him she was going out on a date with an Acolyte.

Speaking of Risty, Rogue hadn't seen too much of her lately since the truth about mutants was exposed. She was in school, but since they didn't have the same classes currently it was hard to get a moment alone with her. So she was surprised when Risty came up to her at lunch today.

"Rogue! How are you?"

"I'm okay Risty. Haven't seen too much of you lately."

"I'm so sorry about that Rogue; an old friend came into town that I haven't seen in ages. But what about you? You're looking a little peaked. Are you sleeping okay?"

"Well, I had a bit of bad news lately; turns out someone I thought cared about me was lying to me. It shook me up a bit but I'll be alright."

Risty looked a little taken aback at that. "That really stinks luv. But I know just how to make you feel better. I've got two tickets to that Rivets concert tonight. Come with me and we'll have a blast making fun of all the geeks in the audience."

"I don't know, Risty; you know I don't do well with crowds..."

"Oh come on girl, it'll be great!"

Rogue smiled. "Okay, you talked me into it."

"Fabulous! I'll see you there!" Risty gave her a quick hug and dashed off as the bell rang to end lunch.

Rogue had a date to meet Remy at the park so she made her way there quickly after school, feeling better than she had in a couple of days. She had missed hanging out with Risty; the British teen always seemed to know just how to make her laugh and lift her spirits. Other than Kitty, she was one of Rogue's best friends, and pretty much her only friend who wasn't a mutant.

Remy was leaning against her usual tree waiting for her, and gave her a smile as she approached.

"'allo _Chere_. Have a good day in hell?"

Rogue rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, I'm so much better for my time spent in those hallowed halls of learning. Algebra and mutant discrimination are just my favorite subjects. The idiots are getting smarter too; they've graduated from using markers on my locker to scratching their insults with a knife."

Remy muttered a few curses in French under his breath and gave Rogue a hug. "I'm sorry Rogue. You sure you don't want me to teach them a lesson for you? Their mammas didn't raise them right; that's no way to treat a lady."

"No, don't bother. They're not worth your time or energy. Besides, if anything happened I'm sure the rest of us would just get blamed for it, and things are bad enough as it is. I'll be okay." Remembering her plans, her face perked up. "Hey, Risty and I are going to that Rivets concert tonight. You wanna come with us? She only got two tickets but maybe you could meet us there."

Remy grinned at her. "That sounds great. And don't worry none. I can get myself in."

She laughed at him, shaking her head. "I'm sure you can, as sneaky as you are." She gave him a final hug and pulled away. "I've gotta go now, I need to get my homework done before the concert. So I'll see you there?"

"Oui, _petite_. I'll find you."

"Okay, bye Remy."

O-o-o-o-O

Remy was singing along to the band under his breath as he got up onto the balcony. He hadn't had any problems getting into the concert hall unnoticed, but he needed a higher view to find his Rogue. His Rogue. Yes, it was getting very easy to think of her in those terms, and it made him happier to do so. This sneaking around to see each other business was getting annoying, but since the alternative was not seeing her, he'd live with it. He'd come to enjoy her company more than anyone else's (well, when you live with Larry, Moe and Hairy that isn't saying much, but still), and if having to dodge Mags as well as most of the X-Men was the price, then so be it.

He finally spotted her down in the mosh pit, with a purple haired girl that he assumed was Risty. Remy had never met Rogue's friend; since she was a human Magneto had never bothered starting a file on her, but if Rogue liked her than she must be okay. He was about to turn to go down and join her when he saw the girl in front of Rogue start to fall off of the shoulders of the guy she was sitting on. Unable to move and knowing he'd never get down there in time, he watched in shock as the girl ripped Rogue's sleeve off trying to break her fall. And then all hell broke loose.

O-o-o-o-O

Rogue panicked when she felt the sleeve tear off her shirt; backing away, she bumped into the person next to her and they dropped to the floor. The crowd jostled her this way and that and she felt like a pinball, bumping into person after person and knocking them out. The roar in her head was monstrous as new voices continued to be added. Finally she was shoved to her left and she just barely made out Risty in the corner of her eye, trying to move away before she crashed into her.

The flash was monstrous. Different from everyone else. She felt the flow of power into her veins. _Risty's a mutant?_ Then the memories started.

_Mystique turning into Risty in front of a mirror._

_Mystique and Irene playing with a pretty little stripe haired girl who couldn't be more than four years old._

_Mystique and Irene discussing Rogue and the development of her powers._

_Irene calling Mystique the night Rogue's mutation manifested._

_Irene urging Mystique to be careful as the shapeshifter turned into Wolverine, to remember that Rogue was Mystique's dau..._

_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!_

This was it. This was too much. This was the last straw. Rogue sank to the ground, shaking. Her heart shattered into a million tiny pieces as the psyches in her head screamed at a level that threatened to fry her brain. Hyperventilating, she searched desperately for the little voice in the back of her head, her anchor, the one that was always there for her in the past whether she wanted it or not, but found nothing.

Drifting in a sea of pain and near insanity, Rogue finally gave up and let go.

O-o-o-o-O

The scene was chaos. Remy's heart was near breaking as he saw Risty change into Mystique. Rogue seemed to have come undone somehow. Taking the shapeshifter's abilities, she proceeded to trash the concert hall, changing from Sabertooth to Juggernaut. Remy tried to get down to the main floor as quickly as he could, but the panicked crowd was making it impossible and by the time he got down there Rogue had made her escape from the building with the X-Men chasing after her.

_Those idiots don't know it's her! Merde, they're attacking mon fille_!

Grabbing his motorcycle, he raced off in the direction they had gone in. Parking at a discreet distance, he saw them surrounding a warehouse; Rogue up in the sky and kicking their collective asses with what looked like every power she had ever absorbed. For a moment he stood in awe, finally comprehending the sheer power his _chere_ had. _Merde, she been goin' easy on me._

Rogue's gaze turned his way and her eyes flickered in recognition for a minute, but the moment was lost as Wolverine tackled her, knocking her out of the sky. _REMY!_ He could hear her voice resound in his brain, his empathic skill shook by the amount of pain she was in, so strong it broke his shields and he felt it without trying. He saw Xavier give him a look before rolling over to help Rogue as she lay shuddering on the ground. No one else seemed to notice his presence though. Xavier seemed to be going through Rogue's mind to save her and, unable to do anything now, Remy stood helplessly as Rogue shifted into each person she had ever touched, purging them from her mind, the last one being himself. Seeming to be completely emptied now, she collapsed into Wolverine's arms and lay there like a broken doll.

Not wanting to get caught hanging around by his enemies, Remy hid on the other side of the building and raised his shields, waiting until they were gone. His heart aching, he wanted to follow them, make sure she was okay, but he knew it was useless. What was he supposed to do, walk up to the front door? He'd figure something out, but right now he needed to get out of there before the authorities arrived.

This incident cleared something up for him though. He couldn't stay on the outskirts of Rogue's life anymore. He couldn't stand on the sidelines and watch the girl he loved get hurt, not able to do anything about it. For he did, he loved his little goth girl. She had wormed her way into his heart and there was no refilling the space she occupied. Whatever it took, he had to find a way to be a legitimate part of her life. Now he just had to figure out how to do that and stay in one piece.

O-o-o-o-O

Sorry, I don't quite remember what the name of the band from "Self Possessed" was; this was the only part I could remember.


	15. Chapter 15

AN

AN

AN: _stands up and sighs_ Hello, my name is Star of Chaos and I am a review addict. I got twitchier than Ishy ever dreamed of being when had their software glitch. I refused to allow myself to even start this chapter until I was able to read my chapter 14 reviews. (that and I needed to decide how certain scenes would work out) _sits back down_

Whoohoo! I've passed the 100 review mark! _room full of Jamies do a happy dance_

O-o-o-o-O

"How is she, Chuck?"

"Mentally and emotionally exhausted, Logan. Her heart and mind have been pushed almost to the breaking point. Two of the people she cared about most have betrayed her. And on top of that, her powers are evolving. It seems to be that she can now access the powers of anyone she's ever absorbed."

"I thought something funny was going on when she blew up that robot the other day. She shouldn't have been able to hold on to the Cajun's powers that long."

"From what I was able to tell when I was in her mind, she's been able to call up her borrowed powers for awhile now. The psyches have been a slow but steady buildup. Mystique and Destiny were the final blow. I just wish she had let us know what was going on."

"You know how she is, Chuck. Wants to handle everything herself."

"Yes, I know. Rather like someone else here I know."

"Heh. I suppose you're right. So what do we do now?

"I'm not sure. That depends on when Rogue decides to wake up."

"Wish I could get my claws on that blue bitch..."

"Getting angry is not going to solve anything, Logan. And remember that regardless of what she's done; Raven is still the mother of two of our students."

"Some mother. Speaking of which, has someone told the elf yet that he has a sister?"

O-o-o-o-O

It was the best of days.

It was the worst of days.

Kurt didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He supposed he could do both, but it was a question of which he should do first or longest.

He had a sister. Not by blood, but family nonetheless. Not only that, his sister was one of his teammates; someone he had grown to care for very much as a friend, despite her somewhat prickly exterior.

His sister was lying comatose in the medlab after their mother broke her heart and helped cause her to trash a concert hall and most of a city block. At this point no one was sure when she would wake up.

He couldn't quite believe it when Storm had taken him aside and explained what was going on. Just when he thought his mother could stoop no lower by throwing him off a bridge, she had to prove him wrong with this. To take a child in only to use and betray her, over and over, he wondered which one of them had gotten the better deal. It hurt a little that Rogue had been chosen while he had been abandoned. But maybe getting thrown off that bridge wasn't such a bad thing after all. At least he had ended up with a family that loved him. But Rogue did have family now; she had the X-Men, and she had him.

What would Rogue think of all this once she woke up? Would she mind having the Fuzzy One as a brother? He didn't think so, she had never seemed to mind his appearance before, but one never knew. He could show her though; he could prove to her what good family could be, even if it's blue and fuzzy. He'd help heal the heart their mother had broken and be the best brother anyone could ask for.

He lay back on his bed, his earlier inner conflict resolved as a tear rolled down over the sad smile on his face.

O-o-o-o-O

It had to have been one of the longest days of his life. After a night spent staring up into the darkness, unable to sleep, Remy had gotten up at dawn and headed over to the Institute. He spent the day hidden in the trees on the edge of the property, watching for some sign that she was awake, that she was okay. If he saw no sign of her by tonight, he would break in and find her. As much as he'd love to just walk up to the front door, he wanted to be able to leave with all his limbs intact. It would be amusing if he did though, he could just imagine the hissy fit Cyclops would have if he came knocking. If there was any man that was just begging for an enema, it was Scott Summers.

Sitting up in a tree all day left plenty of time for a man to think, though. About change; how to make a change and whether he was ready for it. All it took was an image of his _chere_, lying hurt in someone else's arms while he stood there helpless to answer the second question. He was ready for it; he had to be. He didn't know what kind of future he faced, but if it didn't have a pair of green eyes tied into it then it wasn't worth bothering with. It was the how part that was bothering him.

Asking Rogue to join the Acolytes was out of the question. Even if she wasn't purely goody-goody, he couldn't see her being a "bad guy". Besides, Mags was acting a little creepier than normal lately, hiding away in his office for hours on end and talking on the phone to someone he never gave a name for. Whatever Magneto was up to, he doubted it was anything good and he definitely didn't want Rogue involved if and when any shit went down.

That left him joining the X-men. He almost laughed for a moment. Remy LeBeau, a good guy? He could see it now; him sitting at the breakfast table with Cyclops and Jean Grey. Yeah, right. The people at Xavier's would never accept someone like him. He was a professional thief and worse. The last breath he took in this life would just be let out again in Hell. Who would trust Le Diable Blanc? _Rogue does..._ That little voice in the back of his mind whispered. "Ah but Rogue is smart, and has excellent taste in _hommes, non_?" He murmured to himself, a tiny smirk playing on his lips. He couldn't say as much for the rest of her teammates. Would she still trust him if she knew everything, though? He wasn't sure, but he had to get himself into a better position to be with her before he could find out.

He didn't think they'd just invite him in out of the blue, but what if he could offer them something? A trade was something he could understand, and was good at. What could he offer them though? Mags head on a platter? Appealing as that thought was, he figured info would be his best bet. As weird as Buckethead was acting, he just HAD to be up to something. He was being awfully close-lipped about whatever he was planning though; it wouldn't be easy to dig up info and keep his own designs hidden. But what was Remy, if not the Prince of Thieves? He'd buy himself a place among the X-men, and be with his Rogue.

It was getting late now, and still no sign of Rogue. He waited until it looked like the mansion had settled down for the night, and was starting to work on a plan to get inside when he heard the roar of a motorcycle and saw Wolverine head out through the gates of the Institute. Well that certainly made things a little easier. It being a Saturday night, he figured the older man was probably heading out to a bar; he doubted drinking was condoned with so many kids around.

There were only two places he figured Rogue would be; either her room or the infirmary. Crossing his fingers he hoped to find her in her room, because the thought of her lying in a hospital bed made him hurt. Having already gone over the mansion's layout back at the base, he was quickly past the fence and security system and climbing up to Rogue's balcony on the second floor. Xavier's defenses weren't bad, but they were easily bypassed by someone like him. Once he'd made it onto the team, maybe he'd offer Xavier his considerable knowledge and experience with security.

Finding the balcony door unlocked, he quietly slipped into the room. He could only hear one person breathing, and from mental layout he had of the room it had to be the roommate, Kitty. Having adjusted for the dark, he looked around and saw he was correct; the girl was lying in her bed across the room fast asleep, a stuffed dragon clutched in her arms. Smiling a little at the quaintness, he looked over to the other side of the room and saw Rogue's bed looking depressingly empty. Inwardly he sighed and started for the bedroom door. The infirmary then, or medlab, as he remembered Rogue calling it. Quiet enough to make a mouse jealous, he made his way downstairs and into the medlab. He found her in a private room and what he saw made him want to cry.

Her face was scrubbed clean of makeup, but she was still almost as pale as the stuff she painted herself with every day. She lived; her chest rose and fell with her soft breathing, but there was nothing else there. She seemed empty, a shell of herself lying in a hospital bed. Even the sleeping retain some sort of expression, but she was just...blank.

There was a chair next to her bed and he sank into it, glad for his gloves as he took one of her bare hands. He had rarely seen her without gloves and took the moment to admire the tiny hand in his, the room dimly lit by a nightlight and the glow of the monitoring equipment nearby. Other than the fact that she chewed her nails, her hands were flawless, unmarred by calluses or the abuse of everyday living. A side affect of wearing gloves every day. He knew she wasn't appreciative of it though; she saw it as a reminder of her separation from the world. He stroked her fingers softly; wishing he could feel what he was sure was very soft skin. Something so untouched by life was bound to feel richer than velvet. He sighed again.

"Her last conscious thoughts were of you."

Startled, Remy jumped up at the strange voice and turned; three lit cards already in his hand. Sitting in his wheelchair in the doorway was the founder of the X-men himself, Charles Xavier.

"Please Mr. LeBeau, relax. If I meant you any harm I wouldn't have sent Wolverine away from the mansion to allow you a way in."

"You knew I was out there?"

"Your mental shields don't allow me to read your mind, as I'm sure you know, but I was still able to detect your presence on the property."

Remy uncharged the cards in his hand but remained standing, still wary.

"So you in the habit of letting the enemy into your house, _m'sieur_?"

"Normally, no; but I don't think you quite fit the description of an enemy in this case, do you?"

"Rogue is not my enemy, and I am not hers."

"I didn't think so. Please, sit. I didn't come to stop your visit."

Remy sat down and immediately took Rogue's hand back in his, holding it like a talisman for luck.

"So why are you here, _m'sieur_?"

"Apart from the fact that it would be rude not to a welcome a guest, I thought you would like to be apprised of Rogue's condition."

Remy wasn't quite sure what to make of this, but nodded and glanced down at her drained and empty face. "_Chere_, she don't look too good."

"She's mentally and physically exhausted. She hasn't woken since her collapse last night. Removing the psyches from her mind was very taxing, and then she had just had great emotional stress that drove her over the edge. But you knew that, didn't you?"

"_Oui_. Knew about the blind _femme_ from Magneto's file on Rogue, but didn't know about Mystique being the purple haired girl until last night."

"It gets worse Remy. May I call you Remy?"

Remy shrugged at first, then nodded.

"Thank you. From looking over Rogue's memories that she took from Mystique, it's been discovered that Mystique is Rogue's adoptive mother. She and Irene Adler adopted her when she was a child."

Remy looked surprised, then muttered several French curses under his breath, his eyes glowing with anger. "How come you didn't know about Rogue's guardian?"

Xavier sighed. "I had my suspicions, but I couldn't prove anything. A mutation like Ms. Adler's is very hard to detect, and I didn't want to upset Rogue if my suspicions were unfounded. In hindsight I should have dug deeper."

"_Oui_." Remy spat out, then glanced back down at Rogue, his gaze softening.

"But what of you, Remy? While in Rogue's mind I was able to see some of her memories regarding you, and it is obvious to me that the two of you are...close. Do you intend to stay with Magneto? I can offer you a place here if you would prefer to leave his service."

Remy thought it over for a minute. Should he let Xavier know of his intentions? It was tempting, but he didn't know yet if he could trust Xavier, and if the Professor let slip info to his students that ended up getting into the wrong ears, it could cost the thief his life. Magneto was anything but forgiving towards traitors, or would-be traitors. No, he couldn't show his hand yet. Later though, when he had something concrete to give...

"Thanks for the offer Prof, but like I told Rogue I have a contract with the man; what kind of thief would I be if went around breaking contracts? It be bad for business Besides, I heard about what happened with Avalanche. You may welcome a former Acolyte, but I don't think the rest of your students are so forgiving. _Je suis desole_, but for the moment, I must decline."

Xavier sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that Remy. Please understand that if you ever change your mind, a place will always be open to you. A distance like this can be hard on a relationship. I will let you visit a while longer; I just ask that when you leave, please use the front door."

"What about _m'sieur_ Wolverine?"

"He will not be returning for several hours. You should be quite alright."

"Thanks"

Xavier turned and wheeled silently out of the room. Remy was impressed and thankful at the same time at the trust the Professor was showing him by allowing him to remain with one of his students unwatched. He turned back to Rogue and spoke quietly. "Your professor, he always this trusting? It's good for him that I mean no harm here, otherwise he'd have some trouble on his hands, _non_?" He waited for a moment, half hoping for a response, then sighed.

"Why don't you wake up _Chere_? You make this poor Cajun so sad. I wanted to help you; would have given anything to help you, but I couldn't. You can't do that to me again. Can't scare me like that again, I don't know if this heart could take it. I know you can't hear me but, _je t'aime Cherie. Je t'aime_." His free hand stroked her hair softly. "You need to wake up soon Rogue. Someone here loves you. Need to show you. Don't know if you'll still want me after everything I'll tell and show you, but if there has to be anything separating us I would rather it just be cloth and not secrets." Remy laid his head gently on the pillow next to her and closed his eyes, just listening to her breathe.

Remy opened his eyes. Looking at the clock across the room, he realized that he must have dozed off for a little while and that almost an hour had passed. He sat up and looked at Rogue. There was no change in her; she was still empty, lost in her own mind. He pressed a kiss into her hair. "Gotta go now. Need to wake up soon, you hear me? _M'sieur_ Manilow was right; this thief can't smile without you."

Sadly Remy got up and made his way out of the medlab and left the mansion, this time using the front door as requested.

O-o-o-o-O


	16. Chapter 16

AN

AN

AN: I own nothing and no one portrayed here.

O-o-o-o-O

_Chicks dig the Fuzzy One..._

_How'd a southern gal like you learn to handle a snowmobile..._

_I am Magneto and I have come to offer you sanctuary..._

Rogue felt herself in the sea of her own mind, arms wrapped around herself, drifting aimlessly. It was quiet now; the Professor had taken off the worst of the psyches' presence, but she could still feel their echoes all around her. They were little more than whispers now but she resented the fact that they were still there. No, wait. That wasn't the right word. She was too tired for resentment. She was too tired for anything other than a painful resignation. That was it. She was resigned. Resigned to their presence, resigned to the knowledge she would never have her mind to herself again.

_Is it just me, or is anyone else like, seriously freaked by all this?..._

_It bugs me to always be treated like the weaker sex..._

_I'm gonna rock your world..._

It was so easy to float here and listen to the whispers. Almost soothing. She wished she could just stay here and float. It would be so much easier than waking up and facing the world, facing her friends and what she had done. The whispers told her; they showed her what they had done after she let go at the concert, what she had done. She saw herself in a rage, hurting her friends left and right. So much pain...

_I've got two tickets to that Rivets concert tonight..._

_She possesses the potential for limitless power..._

_You can see the future Irene..._

_Oh god, can't think about that._ _Irene, how could you lie to me like that, how could you hurt me? I was always your little Rogue. Was it a lie? Did you ever love me? And Risty... Rogue choked back a sob and wrapped her arms around her knees, burying her face as she continued to float. No. You won't make me cry again Mystique. I don't care if you are my mother, you're not going to make me cry, you're not...oh damnit..._ Rogue's mental voice broke off as her eyes melted in tears. She curled up into herself tighter and tilted sideways, giving herself a little spin as she drifted through the emptiness of her mind. _Is it_ _too much to ask to have someone I can trust? Other than being able to touch, I don't ask for much. It's such a little thing._

_Quand il me prend dans ses bras..._

_I'll be here for you Rogue..._

_You can't do that to me again Chere..._

That last whisper, that wasn't in her mind, it wasn't one of her memories. It was outside of her. She hadn't heard anything going on around her before now; she had been quite cut off from the world in fact. Why was she hearing this?

_I know you can't hear me but je t'aime Chere. Je t'aime..._

Remy. Somehow, Remy was here and she could hear him. _You love me? I dared not even hope...I love you too Swamp Rat. The person I can trust, my one little thing. It's not so little though, it's everything. Maybe waking up wouldn't be such a bad thing, if you were there. I'm so tired though, maybe in a little while..._

Hugging Remy's last words to herself, Rogue's mental self drifted off to sleep.

O-o-o-o-O

Three days.

Three days so far, and not even a twitch, not a single sign that she was waking up any time soon. After the first day when he had lain in his room, Kurt has taken up his post by Rogue's bed and not left her since. Not even school has been enough to make him leave his sister. He had to be there when she woke up; her first sight upon waking should be family, someone who loved her.

The past couple of days had been hell, seeing her lay there like that. Rogue was normally so strong, so full of life; it hurt to see her looking so empty and defenseless. Clean of makeup, her face looked young and sweet. This could hardly be the same person who just last week had threatened him with a bottle of Nair for stealing her bagel at breakfast. He smiled a little at the memory.

"_Nein, schwester_, you would have needed two bottles." He whispered. A half- fuzzy elf was no laughing matter though, and he made a mental note to himself to hide the Nair before she woke up. "Ah, but I think I would gladly be half-fuzzy, or not fuzzy at all, if you would just wake up." He sighed, looking down at the sheets where their entwined hands lay. He wasn't used to wearing gloves, but he did it gladly to hold her hand. "I'll even help you with it, if you want."

"That's good fuzzy, because I think it would take three bottles."

Kurt looked up fast. Was he hearing things? No. The voice was just a whisper, but her eyes were half open and there was a touch of a smile upon her lips. Rogue was awake.

"_Liebes_..." He smiled and squeezed her hand gently, trying to ignore the tears pricking his eyes. "You're awake. Let me get Dr. McCoy..."

Rogue shook her head a little. "No, not just yet. How long have I been asleep?"

"Um, three days."

"And you've been here the entire time?"

"Well, most of it."

"That's funny; I could have sworn I heard..."

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. Was anyone hurt?" She asked fearfully.

"No. Everyone is fine, Rogue. I wish I could say the same for that street though." He winked at her to show he was joking.

She cringed. "Oh man, I can't believe I did that. It just hurt so badly though, I couldn't hold on anymore."

Kurt sighed sadly. "Rogue, I know you're angry with our mother..."

"Please Kurt, don't. I don't know if I'm ready to talk about this yet. I don't know if I can accept the fact that she's...God, I can't even say it."

"I know, and we don't have to talk about it yet if you don't want to. I just have to tell you that I can't be completely sorry. I'm sorry she hurt you and I'd give anything if that hadn't happened, but she's given me something wonderful; a sister. And the fact that it's you just makes things even better. I know you can't accept a mother right now, but would it be okay to have a brother?"

Rogue smiled a little, and looked like she wanted to cry. "I haven't had time to really let all this sink in, but yes, I think a brother would be a nice thing to have. I've never had one before."

"So it's okay if he's blue and fuzzy?"

"It's just fine. It suits you. Could have been worse you know, you could have ended up pink and fuzzy."

Kurt shuddered. "Please Rogue, you're going to give me nightmares."

She bit her lip, fighting back a grin. "Was it just me, or did you feel like you had ended up in "Star Wars" when you found out, well, you know..."

"Luke, I am your father." Kurt said with his best Darth Vader impression.

"That was horrid, Kurt. Don't give up your day job. All she needed to do was sprout a light saber and we would have been all set." She sighed and bit her lip again, not smiling anymore.

"We'll be okay Rogue, you and me. We don't need her around to be family. We can be one of our own, just the two of us."

"Thanks Kurt, I'd like that." She heard her stomach grumble and sighed. "Do you think you could get me something to eat? I'm starved."

Kurt smiled. "Sure _schwester_. I'll get Dr. McCoy too. He should know that you're up."

"Okay, thanks." Rogue grinned mischievously. "Don't forget the Nair while you're at it."

Kurt winced. "I was kind of hoping you wouldn't hear that."

O-o-o-o-O

Three days.

Three days and nothing; nothing to show that Rogue was going to wake up soon. Remy wanted to hit something. He had gone back the next night after his first visit but found the elf sitting asleep in his place. He wasn't jealous though. He remembered from Magneto's files that the blue one was Mystique's son, so that made him and Rogue a sort of family. He barely made it out of there without getting caught by Wolverine.

_At least Chere has someone looking after her though. Just wish it were Remy instead of the Fuzzy One._

He understood Nightcrawler's need to be there though. Family was important to Remy, even if he was estranged from his own. It had been years since he had set foot in New Orleans, and he still missed it. He knew he was doing what he had to, what was necessary for everyone, but it still hurt sometimes. Remy usually buried the pain in cards and women, but he hadn't done that in months so there wasn't anything to take his mind off his past. Nothing except Rogue, that is. But she was asleep, and now had family problems of her own. It was hard to believe that someone like Mystique had raised a wonderful girl like his _chere_. He supposed it could have been more Destiny's influence. He had never met the blind mutant though and only knew of her from Brotherhood gossip and Magneto's files on Mystique.

If you asked him, Nightcrawler got off easy getting thrown off of a bridge. He couldn't imagine having that _chienne_ as a mother. At least Rogue was safely away from her influence. She hadn't been with the Brotherhood long enough to really get turned to her mother's thinking.

CONK

"_Fils d'une chienne_! " (son of a bitch!)

You'd think he would learn after last time not to let his mind wander while training with Piotr, but noooooo.

"I think you dented my knuckles."

"Good thing I have such a hard head, _non_?"

"Good for you, maybe, but what about me? I've got the dented knuckles."

"Yeah, and I've got the dented head. So we even, eh?"

"What is going on, Gambit? I've never seen you so distracted."

"Nothing serious Piotr. Just been missing...home a little more than usual lately."

"_Da_, I understand."

_You certainly can understand, can't you mon ami? At least I know my family is safe_. Remy did not envy Piotr his position at all. While he and Pyro were with Magneto on contract, and Sabertooth just for the fun of it, Piotr was being blackmailed. The quiet Russian's only family, his little sister, was deathly ill, and only Magneto's payment of her hospital bills kept her alive. _Ah, mon ami. The things we do for our families. You sold your soul for your petite, and I was driven from my home_. He wondered briefly if maybe he could include him in his plans. If there was anyone who didn't belong working for Magneto, it was Piotr. He'd have to think about it.

Behind them, the two men heard the sound of footsteps, and Magneto's voice rang out across the courtyard.

"Gambit, Colossus. Stop training for now. You're going to the airport. We have a guest arriving that I need you to collect. Get ready, and I will give you the flight info before you leave." And with that, the Master of Magnetism left as abruptly as he had arrived.

"Duty calls, _mon ami_."

Remy went to his room and changed from his uniform into something a little more casual for going out in public. On errands like these, Mags didn't want his Acolytes drawing any more attention than necessary. He had just finished changing when he heard a light tapping at his window. Remy turned to see the strange sight of an envelope floating just outside the glass, seemingly of it's own free will. _What the hell_?

He went quickly to the window and opened it, then hesitated a moment before snatching the envelope out of the air. He looked around outside but could see no one, and his empathic sense didn't pick anyone up either. With a last wary look around he closed the window and sat down on his bed to examine the envelope. It was a plain ordinary envelope, with his just his name on the outside in an unfamiliar script. Opening it, he found a single piece of paper. There were only two words written on it, but they were enough to lift the cloud that had been over his heart and bring a smile to his face for the first time in three days.

She's awake

O-o-o-o-O

Jean stood on the outskirts of Magneto's base, hidden in the tree line just far enough that Sabertooth wouldn't be able to sense her. She probably risked her life doing this, but she couldn't help herself. She had sensed Rogue's pain when her powers went out of control and felt sorry for the girl. She had also been awake when Gambit visited the institute the next night and had sensed the feelings he had for her teammate. She knew enough now that she understood the Acolyte wouldn't hurt Rogue, and she needed people around her that loved her, even if it included a supposed enemy.

Was she doing this just for Rogue, though? Partly yes, but another part of her reveled in knowing the things that were going on and enjoyed being able to play a part without anyone else knowing. At one time she would have felt that this type of voyeurism and playing with people's lives was wrong, but she had changed so much since she started having her dreams that it didn't matter anymore. She had the power to do these things for her friend, so why not use it? Xavier would never understand. She loved him like a father, but he was too caught up in his moral codes to comprehend the good she could do with her growing powers. And growing they certainly were. She supposed she could consider herself one of the foremost telepaths in the world now; and there didn't seem to be an end yet. One of these days she would show him though, and he would understand that she was beyond all his rules and codes. And he would be so proud of her.

But not yet. It was too early. She would wait and grow; eventually her time would come

O-o-o-o-O.

Remy waited with Piotr at the airport, a heavy unease growing in his mind. The name that Magneto had given them was familiar to him, but it was a common name and there was always the possibility that it wasn't the same man. But if it was... Remy shuddered to think what Magneto could possibly be planning that involved such a man.

He was taken from his thoughts by a thin looking middle-aged man approaching them. The shade from the hat he wore partially hid the sharp lines of his face, but the eyes were the same. Bright and cruel like a hawk's, they glanced at Piotr briefly before settling on Remy. A hint of a smile twisted the corner of his mouth.

"Gentlemen, you have been sent by Mr. Lensherr I presume? I am Dr. Essex. Dr. Nathaniel Essex."

O-o-o-o-O

dun dun DUN! Yep, it's everyone's favorite mad scientist. Since everyone is evolving, including the villains, I am doing some major editing to Essex and his relationship with our Cajun friend. I consider Evo to be a blank slate and therefore don't have to tie myself to comic canon.

I guess Jean is kind of being a guardian angel, isn't she?

On a slightly unhappier note (for you guys anyway), I'm going to Canada for three weeks on business, starting 3/21. I will try to update as best as I can while there, but I'm not sure how much internet access I'll have.


	17. Chapter 17

ANAN: Helloooooooo Canada

ANAN: Helloooooooo Canada! This is Chaos reporting from rainy London, Ontario. _waves to Ishy and any other Canadians_. Everything's going nicely up here; the people have been great so far.

As I mentioned in the last chapter, I'm revamping Essex. He's not Sinister yet, just a creepy mutant scientist. I needed a sidekick for Magneto and he seemed like a good idea at the time. I can't quite remember what his powers were so here he's just a telepath (not as strong as Jean or the Professor).

O-o-o-o-O

Rogue was so tired, and was starting to doubt the wisdom of having woken up. After Dr. McCoy had checked her out and found her healthy but needing some more bed rest, her room in the med lab had been a steady stream of visitors. The Professor had apparently explained to everyone what had happened and what her and Mystique's relationship was so all she had been hearing throughout the day were apologies for attacking her and attempts to not talk about the shape-shifter. Scott in particular had been so remorseful over his actions that she felt herself almost feeling sorry for him.

Kurt almost never left her side, except to bring some of Kitty's experiments from the kitchen. The girl meant well, but whoever told her that she had any business getting involved in food preparation had to have been on serious mind-altering drugs at the time. Peanut butter, jelly and curry sandwiches? Rogue shuddered as she looked at her plate. _My kingdom for Chinese takeout_

Professor Xavier had only visited her once so far, and had not stayed long; just enough to express his pleasure at her improved health. She got the feeling that he wanted to talk to her about something, but was being polite enough to wait until everyone else had gotten a chance to see her. She had an idea of what it was too. Her mental shields had been weaker during her little "incident", and Rogue was sure that the Professor had caught her recognition of Remy in the background and some of the thoughts associated with him. She wasn't sure what she would say to him yet if he brought it up; she felt bad having kept this from him and the others and it was kind of a relief to have someone know. The secrecy of her and Remy's relationship was driving her crazy. Would the Professor understand what was going on between them, or would he condemn her for getting involved with the enemy? She had almost no doubt as to what the reaction of the others would be. With the possible exception of Kitty, who had dated Lance for a time, they would never understand.

Why did things have to get so complicated? She had a shape-shifting terrorist for a mother, a blue, furry teleporter for a brother, and she was in love with the enemy. Did she really want simple though? Simple meant no Kurt, simple meant no Remy. As much as she despised the thought of having Mystique for a mother, she couldn't be anything but happy at having someone as sweet as Kurt for a brother. And Remy... The hell with simple, she'd take complicated any day if it meant being able to have Remy in her life. He'd come to mean too much to her for her to give him up. And now that she knew he felt the same way...

_Did I really hear him say that though? Did he really tell me that he loved me?_ She couldn't be 100 sure, her mind had tricked her before, but this didn't feel like a memory, it felt too real. Some of the remaining whispers in her mind mocked her, told her she was imagining things; that a player like him would never bother with someone he couldn't touch; but she did her best to ignore them and clung to the feeling in her heart that what she had heard WAS real. Remy had shown her time and again that he wasn't afraid of her powers; that he didn't care about them at all. Out of all her friends, all the people who loved her, could any of them truly say that?

_I miss you Swamp Rat. Wish I could see you soon_. It's not like he could come to visit her though. She could picture him showing up at the front door of the mansion, a bouquet of flowers in his hand, and laughed to herself. It would be a riot to see the looks on everyone else's faces. Rogue sighed and came back to reality. As nice as it would be and as much as she wanted to see him, she didn't want him to put himself in danger just to see her. She would just have to bide her time until she was clear to leave the med lab.

She was just settling in to go back to sleep when the door to her room opened and Professor Xavier wheeled himself in. _Here we go_

He smiled at her kindly. "How are we doing this afternoon, Rogue?"

"I've been better, Professor."

"Has everyone been to visit you yet?"

"I think everyone's been in...well, no, now that I think about it I haven't seen Logan. Where is he?"

"Logan left yesterday to find to Mystique. She has a lot to answer for and we're hoping she can fill in some of the missing information regarding yours and Kurt's childhoods."

Rogue bit her lip and tried to bury the pain and anger that rose up at the mention of the shape-shifter's name. "I don't know if I could stand to see her, Professor. Just the thought of her hurts. She had no right..."

Xavier sighed. "I know Rogue. Deceiving you as Risty was incredibly cruel and it's going to take time to come to terms with your pain. Just remember that you don't have to go through this alone; you have family here for you, in every sense of the word."

She smiled a bit at the thought of Kurt. "I know Professor. Who would have thought I'd end up with a brother? I don't know what kind of sister I can be though."

"You have a generous and loving heart Rogue, no matter how you try to hide it. I don't think you could be anything other than the best of sisters to Kurt. He loves you very much and wants to be there for you. Don't be afraid to lean on him; he is just the right person to support you through this."

"Thank you Professor, I'll try."

"Good. Now there was something else I wanted to talk to you about as well. You know that I try not to read other people's thoughts without their permission, but when I was trying to reach your mind during your power overload I couldn't help but see memories of yours regarding a certain Acolyte, and hear you call to him..."

Rogue paled a little. "I know Professor. I'm sorry that I had to deceive you and everyone else; I know he works for Magneto and has made some mistakes but he's not a bad person. He's been good to me and I...I love him. I didn't think anyone would understand. Please don't tell anyone. You aren't going to make me stop seeing him, are you?"

"I'm sorry that you felt you had to deceive us Rogue. I don't intend to prevent your seeing him, but I do wish you'd reconsider your wish to keep your relationship with Gambit private. He came to visit you the night after it happened and if nothing else I am convinced of his affection for you."

"So it was real." Rogue whispered to herself.

"What was real, Rogue?"

"While I was unconscious, I could have sworn I heard Remy talking to me. I wasn't sure if it was real or the voices playing tricks on me. They've done things like that before."

"No, Gambit was here. I spoke to him myself. You may or may not be right about people understanding, but do not let the fears of others keep you from pursuing what you need in life."

"Thank you Professor. I'll keep that in mind, but for now I think I would prefer that the others not know. I'm not ready for that yet."

"Alright Rogue, I will honor your wishes. Perhaps you can help him see that he doesn't have to stay with Magneto, that he can change his life for the better."

Rogue smiled. "I certainly hope so." She then yawned and settled back into the pillows. "I think I'm going to sleep awhile now. I'm feeling tired."

"Okay Rogue, rest well." Xavier patted her once again gloved hand and left the room.

O-o-o-o-O

The ride from the airport was silent. Piotr was normally shy around strangers and Remy could think of nothing to say to their guest. Essex just sat in the back of the car and looked out the window, taking in his new surroundings. Remy's mind was racing as he drove them back to the base though. He had been right; this Dr. Essex was the same man he remembered. What the hell was Magneto thinking? Whatever it was, he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

It had been three years ago, he had just been kicked out of New Orleans and was taking on freelance work to stay alive. Essex had introduced himself through a mutual acquaintance and expressing an interest in helping mutants control their powers, had requested permission to study him. Remy would be well compensated, he was told. As eager as he was to make money, something about the scientist rubbed him wrong. He was a telepath, and even though Remy's mental shields repelled telepathy, spooks still gave him the creeps. The way Essex's cold, sharp eyes looked him over like a lab rat didn't help either. The doctor reminded Remy of those little boys who would pull the wings off flies and torture small animals for fun. Remy said thanks but no thanks and got as far away from Nathaniel Essex as he could. He just had a feeling that whatever the man wanted with him, Remy was better off not getting involved in.

Essex had not said anything so far, but Remy could tell by the way he looked at him that the doctor had not forgotten him. He was all too happy to reach the base and deliver the new arrival into the hands of his employer.

Mags smiled coldly at his guest. "Dr. Essex, it is a pleasure to meet you at last. I look forward to our working together. Come with me. Colossus, take the doctor's bags to his room. Gambit, you're dismissed." And with that he closeted himself in his office with Essex.

Remy exchanged a look with Piotr. The tall Russian looked as unsure about the situation as he did, but merely shrugged and walked off to the guest bedroom with Essex's bags. Remy was only too happy to be dismissed. Nightfall would be coming soon, and he had a visit to make. His Rogue was awake, and he needed to see her again, Wolverine be damned.

Essex's presence changed everything though. He could no longer consider including Piotr in his plans to defect to the X-men. Remy knew he himself was safe from the doctor's telepathy, but Piotr had no way to guard his thoughts. Whatever was going on, Remy would either have to discover it on his own or get help from elsewhere.

It was late when Remy broke into the Institute and made his way down into the med lab. Peeking into Rogue's room, he could see that he was in luck; no sign of Nightcrawler or Xavier's pitbull, Wolverine. He closed the door behind him and sat quietly in the chair next to the bed, taking in the sight of his Rogue's beautiful face. Though asleep, she looked much more alive than the last time he had seen her. He smiled softly and, taking a rose from where he had stowed it in one of his many coat pockets, he traced the curve of her face slowly with the petals, wishing it could be his mouth in place of the flower. Rogue stirred at the soft, tickling sensation and cracked her eyes open a bit to see what was touching her. Upon seeing Remy, her face broke into a smile and she opened her eyes the rest of the way.

"Remy, what are you doing here?"

"How could I stay away? I had to see that you were okay, _Chere_. You worried me. Besides, the two of us alone and you in a hospital bed? The perfect opportunity to play doctor, _non_?" Remy's serious look changed into a playful smirk.

"You came to visit me before, didn't you? I heard you talking to me. I wasn't sure if it was real or not, until the Professor confirmed it for me."

"So you heard me, eh? Just how much did you hear?"

Rogue smiled and clasped the gloved hand that was resting near her own. "_Je t'aime aussi,_ Swamp Rat." She whispered.

Remy's heart tightened and he didn't know what to say. Rogue had heard him express his feelings for her, and of all things, she loved him back. He sighed and stroked a hand down her cheek. "What did I do to deserve you, _mon couer_?" He whispered back to her.

She smirked back at him. "Well, if I remember correctly, you tried to blow me up."

"Do you always fall in love with men that try to blow you up? If so, I think we'll have to stop this business of your going into battles."

She smiled and bit her lip. "No, just red and black-eyed Cajuns who think they're God's gift to women. And I really doubt you could keep me out of any battles."

"Who says I'm not? But you're right; I don't think I'd want to keep you out of battle. You're beautiful when you fight, _Chere_."

"Why, I'd almost think you like getting your butt kicked, Cajun."

"Only by you, though. Only by you." Remy kissed the top of her hair.

"Heh heh. Masochist."

"I don't think you're quite well enough to be getting kinky yet _petite_, do you?" He smirked at her suggestively, a gleam in his eye.

"Not well...just you wait til I get out of here, Remy LeBeau. I'll show you who's not well..."

"What will you show me, _Chere_? I know there's plenty I want to show you." He whispered something softly in her ear and she smacked him away from her, cheeks turning red.

"Pervert."

"But of course. And you love me anyway."

"Why, I don't know."

Remy pouted, then smiled at her again, his eyes glowing. "When you get out of here I would be more than happy to show you."

"Hmmm...sounds intriguing."

"You have no idea." He sighed and gazed at Rogue's face, tracing the flower across her skin. "I felt like I was going to go crazy, seeing you here like that. Seeing you hurting and no way to reach you. You scared me, Rogue. Don't leave me like that again."

Rogue tightened her hold on his hand. "I won't leave you again Remy, not if I can help it."

Remy brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it. "You look tired, _mon amour_. Sleep now." Rogue sighed happily and laid back against the pillow, closing her eyes. "Love you Swamp Rat", she murmured.

"Remy love you too, _Chere_." And with one last glance at his love's now sleeping face, he slipped out of the mansion.


	18. Chapter 18

AN

AN

AN: Home again at last. I did enjoy myself in Ontario, but it's nice to be home. Tim Horton's rules.

For those who were asking about a continuation of "Sugah High", sorry but I'll have to disappoint you. That really was just meant to be a one shot. I have no ideas for plot and really wouldn't know in what direction to take the story.

O-o-o-o-O

Rogue spun on one leg, her foot connecting solidly with the life size punching bag in the weight room, sending it forcefully in the opposite direction. Bjork's "Army of Me" was cranked on the stereo, fitting her mood perfectly. She felt like an army. Ever since her little "incident" two weeks ago, she was finally free to show off her new abilities in the Danger Room, and it felt great. She felt great. If there was one good thing about her mutation, it was the ability to use the powers she had taken from others. She literally had an arsenal in her head.

She had been a little ashamed at first, admitting to the others what she could do. After all, she HAD stolen these powers from her friends and enemies. But at the Professor's urging she had sat down and talked to everyone, explained what was happening, and basically asked their blessing to use "their" powers. Contrary to what she feared, her friends didn't begrudge her the use of their stolen powers. In fact, she was surprised and grateful when each of them congratulated her on the evolution of her mutation. She was happy that her friends didn't resent her for being able to keep what she had taken from them. As far as her enemies went, she didn't care what they thought. And if she could use their own powers against them, all the better.

She finally felt like she was an asset to the team instead of a liability. Rogue had always been able to hold her own in the Danger Room, but there were some situations when hand to hand combat just wasn't enough, and she was happy to finally be able to keep up with the others in any situation. It tired her out to use too many abilities at once, but she thought it was worth it. She had even managed to have some fun with it, chasing after her brother with his own teleportation powers, wielding a bottle of Nair and laughing evilly. She hadn't managed to completely de-hair him, but he was currently sporting a hat and wouldn't be wearing shorts for a while.

Rogue had to admit that gaining a brother was one of the best things that had ever happened to her. She and Kurt had been friends before, but discovering the family relationship they had, even if it wasn't by blood, had drawn them closer together. During her time in the med lab they had had several long discussions where Kurt had talked about what he had felt when he discovered that Mystique was his mother, and she had opened up enough to him to cry in his arms when she couldn't keep back the tears over Mystique/Risty's betrayal any longer.

Though she felt better after the release, it didn't alleviate the growing need she had to talk to the woman who had betrayed her, the woman that was supposed to be her mother. Her anger had not faded over what Mystique had done to both her and Kurt. The shape-shifter had a lot of explaining to do. Despite days of searching though, Logan had returned to the mansion unable to find Mystique. Rogue wasn't too sorry though. Since his return Logan had seemed to make it his mission to train Rogue in the use of her collected powers and make sure she grew as comfortable using them as their original owners were. He even offered to let her absorb him, in order to gain the use of his healing factor, but she refused. Despite having everyone's blessing to use their powers, she still didn't want to hurt her friends deliberately.

Out of everyone though, her biggest support throughout this time was Remy. He wasn't able to visit as often as either of them would like, due to the difficulties of getting in and out of the mansion unnoticed, but when he was there he was her sounding board for every crazy or bitter thought that came out of her head. He held her close when the tears threatened and taught her card tricks when she was driven insane with the boredom of being trapped in the med lab. Now that she was released she hadn't seen him for several days, not even at school, but he had managed to leave a note in her locker today apologizing for his absence (errands for Buckethead), and asking her to dinner tonight. She was excited of course; she had missed seeing her swamp rat and other than school, hadn't been out of the mansion at all.

Rogue finished up her workout and headed for the showers to clean up. She had given the excuse of going to the movies by herself tonight to explain her absence, so she couldn't dress too nicely, but she had the feeling that Remy would be happy to see her no matter what she wore.

O-o-o-o-O

Remy stood chopping vegetables in his kitchen, humming a tune under his breath. He was glad he had gotten this apartment shortly after joining Mags and moving to Bayville; the other Acolytes didn't know where it was and it gave him a sanctuary for when Magneo and the others got to be too much. It also gave him a place to bring a beautiful _femme_ back to when he had had a successful date. At least in the past it had. His bed here has had no occupant other than himself in months. There was never a lack of willing women, but he didn't want anyone else sharing that bed with him now except his _belle chere_. He didn't think that would happen any time soon due to her mutation, but even if he could just hold her he'd be satisfied. It told him what a long way he'd come that he'd even think such a thing. Months ago he would be anything but satisfied just holding a girl. Now it made for some of his sweetest moments. The thief of hearts has had his stolen. Who would have thought. He didn't mind though as he had gained a heart in return. And what a sweet one it is.

He added the chopped vegetables to the pot and stirred the work in progress. mmmmm...jambalaya, the way to any good Southern woman's heart. Remy was hoping to sweeten her up tonight in the hopes of softening what he was going to tell her. He was going to share his past with her tonight; something that may or may not drive her from him. He needed to find out if she could accept him completely before he committed himself to defecting from the Acolytes. Once he started on this path he couldn't turn back, and he had to be sure he had a solid anchor on the other side, something to hold onto, to make this worthwhile. He told himself that Rogue loved him, she would accept him no matter what; but there was always the tiniest voice of doubt that questioned whether she could really love someone who had done the things he had done. If she could, then nothing would stop him from making this happen.

The sound of the doorbell interrupted his thoughts. Setting the jambalaya to simmer, he went through the living room and opened the door. His Rogue stood on the other side, looking beautiful as always, the burgundy scarf he had given her wrapped around her neck. Closing the door behind her, he got a nice view of her walking past him, her figure setting his pulse racing as much as it ever had.

_Jambalaya for dinner, Rogue for dessert?_

O-o-o-o-O

Rogue had found the address he had given her with no problem, and stepping inside now she found herself pleased. Remy's apartment was simply furnished, and relatively neat for being a bachelor pad. Black and metallic grey were the primary colors of the furniture, with a few green throw pillows on the couch adding some color. A couple of framed posters showing New Orleans and New York at night graced the walls, and an open wooden cabinet against one wall showed a very respectable entertainment center. The scent of sausage, shrimp and spices drifted enticingly from the kitchen, and she followed her nose and Remy in that direction.

"Something smells good Remy, whatcha making?"

Remy kissed the side of her head through her hair and smiled. "Jambalaya; we're celebrating your release from that infirmary of yours."

"Oh we are, eh?"

He chuckled. "_Chere_, you haven't been absorbing any Canadians lately, have you?"

"Well, I have been training a lot with Wolverine, maybe he's rubbing off on me."

He looked over at her with a mock glare. "Better not be anybody rubbing off on my girl, less it's me of course."

"Heh, you wish Swamp Rat."

Remy gave her a suggestive smirk. "That I do, that I do."

Rogue grinned and shook her head in semi-exasperation. "I don't know what to do with you, Remy."

"I could start a list if you want."

She laughed and smacked his arm. "Keep your perverted thoughts to yourself, please. Now, is there anything I can do to help you here?"

"Well the jambalaya just needs a little while longer to simmer but you can start the rice if you want." He showed her where the rice and cooking utensils were and she got that cooking while he put together a salad.

Dinner was delicious. The jambalaya and rice came out just right, nice and spicy, and there was plenty of sweet tea to drink with it. Rogue had missed genuine Southern cooking; the others complained that her turns in the kitchen always came out too spicy so she had to tone her recipes down for them. The only other people who could handle her cooking were Sam and Logan, so it was nice to have someone else who liked things as hot as she did. After dinner Rogue shooed Remy out of the kitchen and insisted on doing the dished, which luckily for her just consisted of loading the dishwasher (Remy as it turns out, loves to cook but hates doing dishes).

She came out into the living room to find Massive Attack playing softly on the stereo and Remy leaning back on the couch, waiting for her. He beckoned to her and she sat down next to him; snuggling into his shoulder as he put an arm around her.

"Thank you for dinner Remy, everything was delicious."

"Glad you liked it." He smiled and they laid back for a little while, relaxing. Rogue's head comfortable against him. She felt she'd be perfectly happy never moving again.

Remy spoke quietly. "Rogue, I think we've grown close enough that I should tell you some things about myself. You need to know what kind of person you're getting involved with. I haven't had a pleasant past; I've done some things I'm not proud of, but I need to know if you can be with me despite them. I don't want to keep things from you; you've had enough people lie to you in your life and I don't want to be one of them."

Rogue looked at him seriously. "Whatever it is Remy, I don't think it could change how I feel about you, but tell me." She stroked a gloved hand down his cheek and he leaned into it, kissing the palm.

"Thank you _Chere_, I certainly hope so." He sighed and continued, taking the hand on his face into his own and holding it.

"As I told you once before, I was adopted by a man for whom thieving was a family business. What I didn't tell you was that his name is Jean-Luc LeBeau, head of the New Orleans Thieves Guild. He taught me everything he knew and I became an expert; he said I was one of the best thieves he'd ever seen.

The Thieves Guild has had a long-standing rivalry with the Assassins Guild. No one remembers why, but the two guilds have hated each other for centuries. My _pere_ wanted to stop the killing that this feud was causing so he got together with the head of the Assassins. To create peace they decided to marry me off to the daughter of the head Assassin, Belladonna. The agreement was made when we were both kids. I liked Bella plenty; we grew up knowing each other and started dating when we were older. We cared a lot about each other but decided eventually that we just weren't meant to marry. Besides, Bella had started to fall in love with my cousin Emil. You'd like him; he's a lot like your brother. I didn't mind because I thought she and Emil made a better couple than she and I did. So we figured we'd tell our families that we wanted to break the engagement. It would be okay though because then Bella would marry Emil and the Guilds could still have peace.

Bella had a brother though, named Julien. He was a crazy bastard though, didn't like me one bit. Didn't think any thief was good enough for his sister, especially one that was a mutant. Bella and I were to meet one night to discuss how we were going to break the news about our engagement to our families, when Julien showed up. The fool had somehow gotten it into his head that we were going to elope and he said he'd see me dead first. I tried to stop him but he refused to back down; he got me into a fight. Came at me with a knife and I tried to grab it out of his hand. I was so angry that I didn't even notice that I had charged the knife. When the smoke cleared from the explosion, I had a concussion and Julien was dead. Bella went crazy; she said she'd kill me for murdering her brother. I barely made it out of there alive.

When Bella's father found out what happened he swore that no daughter of his would ever marry a thief. So the Guilds were left without peace, Bella was left with no brother and no husband, and I was banished by my family for destroying the peace.

That was about three years ago. I was left without a home or family and thieving was the only business I knew so I started doing freelance work. I stole anything for whoever would pay my price, and I didn't come cheap. Weapons, drugs, jewels, whatever my clients wanted. I never asked what the objects I stole would be used for, and frankly didn't care. I'm quite sure that innocent people were killed or hurt by what I took for my clients, but at the time the only thing I could care about was building a reputation and having money. I wanted to be self-sufficient, to never have to depend on any family or person ever again. And I got there. It was blood money, but I got there."

Remy bit his lip. "Those weren't the only things I stole, _Chere_. They don't call me King of Hearts for nothing. I've played with the ladies, and broken many hearts. Then I saw the most beautiful girl on a battlefield. I've wanted you since I first saw you Rogue; but the fact that I couldn't touch you gave me the chance to know you. My heart isn't mine now, and I don't want to play anymore. I don't think I can play again."

He squeezed her hand gently and looked at her. "What I need to know now is, can you accept me with all the bloodstains on my soul? If you can, I don't know what I can offer you or what the future will hold for us, but I'll do anything and everything to make sure we stay together."

Rogue looked at him for a minute or two, processing all that she'd just been told. Some of the nastier voices in her head told her to run; that he'd been a player before and was still playing with her now, but her heart spoke otherwise. She didn't think he could be as open with her as he was if he was just playing. She took the scarf from around her neck, held it up to his face and kissed him softly through it. Bringing it back down she wrapped her arms around him and held him close, whispering in his ear. "_Je t'aime_ Remy. If you can love the daughter of a shape-shifting terrorist, and one who can't touch to boot, then I can love you."

Remy seemed to be in shock for a second before hugging her tightly, pressing kisses to her hair. "_Merci Chere, merci_", he murmured. "I promise, I'll make sure you never regret this."

They stayed in each other's arms for a while, enjoying the closeness, until Remy released her and stood up, offering her his hand. "Dance with me?"

Rogue smiled and joined him in the middle of the living room, swaying softly in his arms to the music that continued to play. They stayed like that through several songs, occasionally exchanging long heated kisses through her scarf. Remy finally drew her closer than before and spoke softly.

"_Chere_, I want you more than I've wanted anyone or anything in my life. I know you don't think that we can be together physically, but let me show that we can. Let me love you tonight."

O-o-o-o-O

The mansion was quiet. Jean and Scott were out to dinner, the New Recruits were out together at an underage club, and after several days of coaxing by Rogue, Kurt was out with Kitty on their first date. Logan was relaxing on the couch with a beer and a hockey game when the solitude was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.

Professor Xavier looked up from the chess game he was playing with Dr. McCoy. "Could you answer the door please Logan? And try not to attack our guest."

Logan got up and went to the front entryway grumbling under his breath, annoyed at having his peaceful evening interrupted. He opened the door and growled; Mystique stood in the doorway in her natural form.

"I want to see my daughter. Now."

O-o-o-o-O

BWAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHA!! Cliffhanger anyone?

Chapter 19: sniff sniff Do I smell citrus?


	19. Chapter 19

AN

AN

AN: Damn those lemon-scented candles, got me all confused (j/k). No songfic to go with this chapter but recommended music is "Neo Sleep" by Massive Attack (from Matrix soundtrack). "Gravity of Love" by Enigma and "Book of My Life" by Sting would go well with it also. I'm changing the POV for this chapter to include both of them at the same time instead of separately.

O-o-o-o-O

Rogue felt a thrill go through her at his words, but couldn't help having doubts. "Are you sure about this Remy? I couldn't live with myself if I ever hurt you."

He smiled and nuzzled her hair. "I have an excellent imagination _Chere_. I can promise you that neither of us would get hurt. I won't push you though; it's completely up to you."

She let out a shaky sigh and blushed, biting her lip. "I want you too Remy. Show me."

He squeezed her gently in his arms, trying to control his breathing. After so long, he could finally have what his heart and body had been wishing for... He stroked his hands softly up and down her sides and caressed her ear lightly with his teeth. "I can't believe this, I'm actually nervous. I want to make this so good for you."

Rogue smiled, touched at the lack of his usual arrogance. "I'm glad I'm not the only one then."

Remy scooped her up in his arms and carried her off to his bedroom, setting her down gently on his bed. Rogue looked around after he turned on the lamp next to the bed. His bedroom was as simply done as the rest of his apartment. The bed was covered in comfy black cotton sheets and comforter, and a beautifully done painting of a bayou hung on one wall.

"That's a gorgeous picture", she observed.

"Thanks. It's Piotr's work. Did I mention he was an artist?"

"Yeah, you did. I just had no idea he was so talented. This is nothing like I expected. I was thinking you'd have mirrors on the ceiling, or something like that."

Remy laughed and sat down on the bed beside her. "So that's what you think of me, huh? No, I have to sleep in this bed too. Slept in a bed like that once in Vegas; weirdest thing in the world waking up to your own reflection."

"So how do you propose this happening without my killing you?"

He smiled. "Close your eyes and I'll show you."

She closed her eyes and heard a drawer opening and closing. A few seconds later she felt the softest, lightest material she had ever felt drape across her face, followed by the heat of Remy's mouth tracing over her cheek. It was so thin that it was almost like touching his bare skin. She opened her eyes and saw Remy's face through what looked like a layer of gauze, his eyes glowing with desire. "What is this?"

"The most delicate silk sheet I could find. I, um, bought it a few weeks after I met you."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh so you knew even then that you'd get me here, eh?"

"Well, I hoped."

"Was that before or after I slapped you?"

"After."

Rogue laughed and pulled him to her, kissing him soundly through the silk. "Damn you are cocky, Cajun."

He smirked at her suggestively. "You have no idea, _Chere_...yet."

She blushed at the vision this produced and buried her face in his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear.

"It's okay, we'll take this slow. Anytime you want to stop, tell me and we will."

She turned her head and kissed his neck softly through the silk. "Thank you Remy."

His voice lowered. "Can I undress you Rogue?"

If anything her blush got deeper, but not trusting her voice she nodded and pulled away from him. Standing up she left herself completely in his hands. Hands that she soon discovered were more gentle than anything she had ever felt as they slowly removed the clothes from her body. Her heart sped up and she chanced a look at his face. She could have mistaken him for being at church; the look in his eyes was that worshipful. She thought she would feel embarrassed, exposed to someone like this; but she trusted Remy, and the adoration she saw in his eyes reassured that her trust was not misplaced.

He let out a shaky breath when he was finished undressing her. "Rogue, you leave this poor boy speechless. I've never seen anything so beautiful..."

"I, I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything then. Words are such useless things." With that he stood and wrapped the silk sheet carefully around her, leaving material for her hands and arms. One at a time, he took her hands and slowly removed the gloves, and after enveloping each in the spare material, kissed each of her fingertips, his mouth delightfully warm against her.

Rogue sighed, the silk felt so wonderful against her bare skin. Instead, she sat down on the bed and leaned back against his pillows. "I think somebody here is wearing too many clothes, Remy", she murmured, deepening her accent on purpose.

Remy grinned. "You mean you don't want to undress me, _Chere_?"

She shook her head playfully. "Nope, I wanna watch."

"Such a kinky girl. Didn't you know were a voyeur, _petite_. That's okay. Anything for you." With that he put on a mock strip show, revealing a body that rivaled that of the ones she'd seen in Tabby's Playgirl magazines. Lean and muscled without looking pumped up, there wasn't a spare ounce of fat on the man. He was also very sparsely haired, except for the patch between his legs. And there... Rogue blushed harder than ever before. She didn't have too much to compare too, but he seemed to have the Playgirl models beat in that department as well.

Remy smirked as her eyes roamed over his body, and laid down on the bed next to her. "You like what you see?"

"Damn, Swamp Rat, I think I'm the one who's speechless now."

"Good, I'd hate to be the only one." He took off his gloves and ran his finger lightly down her arm, pleased at the goose bumps that resulted. "Would you like me to just give you a nice backrub to start with?"

"Um, okay." Rogue rolled onto her stomach and buried her face in the pillows, heart pounding in anticipation of his touch.

Remy gently started moving his hands over her back, stroking her softly through the silk to get her used to being touched, then began to knead his fingers into her shoulders, releasing the tension that had built up there. She was so soft beneath his hands; he imagined this is what her skin would feel like. He experienced a slight twinge of frustration that he couldn't get closer to her, touch her fully without the cloth; but he was thankful that he was able to get as close to her as he had, and made a promise to himself that he would do whatever it took to someday help her find control.

Moving slowly down her back he massaged her sides and spine, dropping kisses on her as he went. He pressed a lingering kiss at the base of her spine then traced a finger lightly over her buttocks, feeling her clench and shiver.

"Remy..." There was a slightly aching note to her voice.

"Shhh. You have such beautiful skin. You should learn all the pleasure it can give you." Carefully he turned her over onto her side and lifted the silk to her mouth in order to kiss her. She purred, wrapping her arms around him to hold him close. The feeling of his body pressed flush against her caused a spike of pleasure to go through her, centering in her groin. She wanted him so badly, and he had hardly even touched her. She almost expected the voices to taunt her, to say it was just the fact that someone was touching her; but strangely they were quiet, and she doubted that she'd believe them anyway. She didn't think just anyone could make her feel like this. Remy's mouth was a drug; the more she felt it on her, the more she wanted. She slipped her tongue between his lips and touched his. It was a little strange at first, tasting him through silk, but the headiness of the kiss soon helped her get over it.

Soon they broke for air and Remy moved his mouth over her jaw, pressing kisses down her neck and into her throat. He took himself out of her embrace and proceeded to run his hands over every inch of her body, his lips following after them. He left not an inch of her untouched, even running his mouth over the bottoms of her silk-wrapped feet, turning her body into one giant nerve ending. He paid special attention to her breasts, loving them with his mouth and hands until she thought she'd go crazy with want.

"Remy, please..." Her voice came out as a gasp.

He looked up from where he had been lovingly sucking a nipple and smirked. "Please what, _Chere_?"

"Please...let me touch you..."

He took her hand, wrapped in the silk, and brought it to his chest, pressing it against his heart. "Touch me then."

She moved her hand lightly down his chest, gaining confidence as she felt him beneath the silk. She proceeded to give him the same torture he had given her, pressing kisses to every exposed bit of skin she could find. She had just finished running her mouth over his hip when he couldn't take it anymore and pulled her up to him.

"You're driving me crazy, Rogue."

She could feel his erection pressing tight against her and knew he wanted her as badly as she wanted him. Releasing her, he rolled over and got a condom from the drawer of the nightstand next to his bed and sheathed himself.

"I want to make this as painless as possible for you", he murmured to her and shifted her so that she was straddling him, careful to keep the silk covering her legs. "Just keep still", he said, and stroked himself against the center of her desire, letting the already present wetness there prepare him. He lodged just the head inside her and proceeded to stroke her most sensitive spot with his fingers, the silk heightening the sensation.

Rogue thought she was going to scream, the sensations he was causing gripped her so strongly. She tried to rock against him, but the hand that supported her hip didn't let her go very far and she could feel him bump against her internal barrier. His fingers played her body like an instrument and finally she cried out; the releasing ripping through her like a bolt. At that precise moment his grip tightened and he pulled her down onto him, burying himself completely inside her. The combined pain and pleasure shocked her and she stilled, trying to get used to the new presence within her.

Remy gathered her close, murmuring nonsense words to her in French, giving her time to get used to the feeling of him inside her. Eventually her heartbeat slowed and she sat up again, nodding to him in indication that she was ready to continue. He set a slow, gentle rhythm, knowing the pain couldn't have completely left; but eventually she began to rock against him faster and leaned down to kiss him fiercely through the silk.

Gasped words of adoration escaped them as they moved together, not wanting it to end but at the same time needing the finish. Remy thought his heart was going to explode; it had never been as good as this for him and he felt the need to share himself completely with her, more than just the melding of bodies. Feeling his release come upon him, knowing the possible consequences and not caring, he whispered to her.

"_Prenez mon coeur, amour. Me maintiennent sur chez vous toujours_. (Take my heart, love. Keep me safe within you always.)

He gripped the back of her head with his free hand and making sure the silk was out of the way, brought her mouth to his as his orgasm shook his body. Her mouth was so soft, so sweet; he drank of her lips as fiercely as he could, not letting her go. And when the pull of her mutation came upon him, it just heightened the sensations he was already experiencing; he felt himself pouring into both her mind and body and it was like nothing he had ever known. He fought to stay awake, and managed to just long enough feel her shiver around him in her release and pull her mouth quickly away from him; finally able to break free as he weakened.

He caught the dazed, sad and slightly angry look on her face and managed to breathe out, "Love you Rogue", before passing out.

O-o-o-o-O

I don't smoke, but I think I need a cigarette now.


	20. Chapter 20

AN

AN

AN: Hey, I've hit the 200 review mark! _Remy's dust bunnies do a happy dance_ I just have to say that I'm floored and very, very flattered with the response this story has gotten. If it wasn't for all of you egging me on, this would have remained a simple one shot. So pat yourselves on the back please. (Here's hoping for another 200 reviews?)

O-o-o-o-O

Rogue lay in her silk on Remy's bed, the conked out Cajun wrapped in a blanket by her side. She used the moment to explore the lines of his face with her clothed fingers; he looked so sweet and relaxed when he slept. She had lain like this for the last hour or so, just relishing the peace of the moment and the time alone with her lover. Lover. Now there was a word she had never thought would be used in relation to herself. She had thought she would always be alone, never to experience the joy of giving herself to another, but Remy had shown her differently. There was so much she felt, so much she wanted to say to him, but all she could do was wait for him to wake up, and swim in the sea of his thoughts and feelings.

She supposed she should be angry with him for doing that, kissing her bare mouth when he had promised that no one would be hurt, but as she experienced his emotions she realized that he wasn't hurt. He had wanted this so desperately, to share himself with her completely, that it was almost hurting him not to do so. A soft voice whispered French words of love in the back of her mind and it soothed her fears to the point where she could no longer be angry with him. It was the gentlest absorption she had ever experienced, and she didn't think she could ever doubt his feelings for her again.

And there was more. Every word he had told her earlier was true. She saw his childhood; growing up with Henri and his cousin Emil in New Orleans, the jokes the three boys played on each other and the adults in the house, Remy looking under his bed waiting for his dust bunnies to evolve, meeting Belladonna as a child and being told of their shared destiny. His memories as a child after being adopted were sweet, and his recollection of them only sharpened the pain of knowing he could never go home again. She saw his pain after realizing he was responsible for Julien's death, the hate in Belladonna's eyes after the broken engagement and being denied her true love because of the death of her brother, his father's sadness as he exiled his son to prevent all out warfare with the Assassins. With the treaty broken in such a fashion there would never be true peace between the Guilds now, but Remy's banishment bought an uneasy truce that was now the best anyone could hope for.

She saw his wandering years: drifting around the world from job to job and woman to woman, burying his emptiness and just existing day to day. She shuddered as she saw his memory of meeting a Dr. Essex and his revulsion of the scientist and his offer. That sinister looking man was now back in Remy's life again, she realized. His worry over what he and Magneto could be discussing as they closeted themselves in Magneto's office day after day or went on secret excursions was a dark undertone to his psyche.

But most of all she saw herself. The desire he felt at their first meeting and hasn't really stopped feeling since, stalking her and Kitty at the mall, his happiness at getting to dance with her all night long at Mardi Gras, the dozens of insults thrown at him that only helped him appreciate her wit and intelligence, the despair he felt seeing her suffer from the betrayal of Irene and Mystique, how useless he felt when her psyches took over, his vow never to be on the sidelines of her life again...

He wants to join the X-men?

O-o-o-o-O

Logan popped his claws. "You've got a hell of a lot of nerve showing your face here, Mystique."

The blue shape shifter merely sneered at him. "Down boy." She shouldered her way past him into the foyer. "Charles, aren't there leash laws in this state?"

He snarled and made a step towards her. "I'll shove these claws up your ass and use your bowels to leash you from the ceiling, you blue bitch..."

"LOGAN!" Professor Xavier reprimanded him sharply from his chair on the other side of the room.

The feral mutant muttered something under his breath but made no further moves towards the shape shifter.

Xavier moved further into the room. "Why are you here now, Mystique? It's been two weeks since Rogue's incident."

She stiffened. "I don't have to explain myself to you Charles. Despite the circumstances, Rogue is still my daughter and I am concerned for her wellbeing. Now where is she?"

"She is not here at the moment; she went to the movies. We expect her back later this evening."

"You won't mind if I stay here and wait then. I want to see for myself that she's alright."

Logan growled and Xavier shot him a look. "Actually that probably wouldn't be a good idea. I don't want you upsetting my students with your presence. When Rogue returns I will talk to her and let her decide if she wishes to see you. I'm assuming you can be reached at the Brotherhood House?"

Mystique looked like she wanted to argue but apparently decided it would be wise not to press her luck. "Fine", she snapped, "I may be reached there. I expect to be contacted soon though." She turned and headed back towards the door.

Xavier spoke quietly but firmly. "Raven, don't you want to know how your other child is?"

She paused with her hand on the doorknob. "I gave up any right to parental concern regarding him a long time ago Charles, you know that. Besides, I know he is well." And sparing a last look of disgust at Logan, she left, not quite slamming the door behind her.

Logan turned to the Professor. "She's got no right thinking she can just waltz in here and demand to see Rogue after what she's done. What kind of mother uses her own children the way she has?"

Xavier sighed. "No matter what we think, she is still their mother. Ultimately the decision to talk to her or not will be Rogue's. We'll discuss it further when she comes home." He left the room leaving Wolverine wishing he'd cut the bitch a new asshole when she'd first walked in.

O-o-o-o-O

It had to be another dream. Gentle, silk-covered fingers caressed his face, and he could make out her breathing nearby. The faint smell of sex mixed with her normal sweet fragrance teased his nostrils and he stirred, not wanting to wake up. If he didn't wake up he could pretend that she was here and that he was lying in her arms after having just made love to his _belle femme_. He was so tired of waking up alone.

If this was a dream though, why were her hands covered?

Remy took a chance and slowly opened his eyes to see Rogue's beautiful face on the pillow next to him. It was real then. He sighed in relief and smiled. "Was I out for long?"

"Only for about an hour." She scowled at him, but he could tell she didn't really mean it. "I should knock you upside the head for pulling a stunt like that, but I just can't." Her face relaxed. "I saw, Remy. I saw everything."

"I know _Chere_. I wanted you to."

"Don't you think you could have just told me?"

"Yes, but it wouldn't be the same. I didn't want you to have any doubts that I was holding anything back from you." He paused and smirked. "Besides, how could I pass up a chance to kiss you?"

Rogue sighed and rolled her eyes. "The next time you want to tell me something Swamp Rat, just tell me. I promise I'll believe you."

"You will?"

"Yes. I trust you, as if that wasn't obvious by now."

"Well maybe you just wanted this Cajun for his beautiful body and his sexy eyes..."

She grinned. "Well, there is that." She pulled the blanket up over Remy's chest and laid her head down on it, snuggling against him comfortably. He wrapped his arms around her, making her feel safe and happy.

"Remy, I saw that the Professor offered you a place with the X-men. Why didn't you accept it? I know now that you want to leave Magneto."

He shifted, holding her a little closer. "Do you really think they'd just up and trust me, Rogue? I know what happened when Avalanche tried to join and I don't want us to have to go through any grief by having your boyfriend be public enemy #1 at the mansion."

She smiled at him a little. "Are you really my boyfriend?"

"You really doubted it? You're mine now, and I'm yours; this boy's never letting you go."

"Just checking to make sure we were on the same wavelength. I have your thoughts but it's nice to hear things out in the open once in awhile."

"Then hear it _Chere_. Just you and me girl; that's it, the way it's supposed to be. "

She smiled and kissed him through the silk. "I hear you. That's how I want it too. Now about the X-men..."

"I want to prove myself Rogue. I know you trust me, and I have the feeling that Xavier would trust me, but I think I'm going to have to earn the trust of the others; prove that I don't want to work for Magneto anymore. Him and Essex; I've got a real bad vibe about this. Mags has never been so close- mouthed with us before about what his plans are; it would be best if there was someone on the inside to find out what's going on."

"I think we should talk to the Professor about this, Remy. You're going to need help if things go as badly as you think they might."

"I don't know; Essex is a telepath..."

"You're forgetting that the Professor is the strongest telepath in the world. I can talk to him first though, and see if he would agree to see you without telling the others. He trusted me Remy; I know he'll trust you too."

He sighed and stroked her hair. "Alright _petite_; talk to Xavier. I hope he can help."

"I'm sure he can, Remy." She shifted and sat up, the silk starting to slide off of her shoulders. "I've got to take a shower and go home; it's starting to get late."

Remy pouted. "But…..but….., you'd deprive me of the joy of waking up in your arms?"

Rogue laughed and swatted at him. "You've already woken up in my arms once Cajun. If I don't get home soon there may not be a second time."

He sighed. "Okay then, leave me if you must. Do you need any help washing your back though?" He waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.

She climbed out of the bed and escaped to the bathroom. "If you do that I'll never get home. Besides, the idea is to make sure I don't go back smelling like swamp rat. Maybe another time though."

Remy pouted again and collapsed back against the pillows. "You never let me have any fun."

It was almost midnight when Rogue got home; the others had already returned from their various outings and gone to bed. The Professor and Logan were in the Rec Room waiting for her when she came back. Logan's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing back so late, Rogue? The movie should have ended hours ago."

"I went to the coffee house for awhile afterwards. It was poetry night." He sniffed for a second but didn't say anything. Rogue turned to Xavier. "Can I talk to you alone for a minute? It's kind of private."

He nodded and turned to head for his office. "Actually I need to talk to you too Rogue. Come with me."

She followed after him, leaving Logan to check the security alarm and do his late night rounds. She closed the door to the Professor's office behind her and sat down in one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"What did you need to talk to me about, Professor?" She was slightly nervous. What if he already knew about where she had been tonight and what she had been doing?

"Well, while you were gone tonight, we had a visitor. Your mother came to the mansion, Rogue. She wants to see you."

A hateful glare came over Rogue's face. "Don't you dare call that woman my mother. What the hell was she doing here?"

O-o-o-o-O

I'm starting to enjoy doing cliffhangers. hands out candy cigarettes to everyone who needed one after chapter 19.


	21. Chapter 21

AN

AN

AN: Anyone who liked the silk sheet idea in Chapter 19 needs to check out "Everything Important", by RemedyChill. That's where I got the idea. It's a beautiful, rather unappreciated story.

O-o-o-o-O

Rogue practically spit the word mother out, like it was something dirty that had gotten into her mouth. Of all the nerve! After everything that she had done to Kurt and herself, the last thing that woman deserved to be called was a mother.

Xavier flinched a little at her tone, but didn't seem too surprised by her reaction. "I understand that you're upset Rogue, but she said that all she wanted was to see that you were alright after your incident."

Rogue's eyes narrowed and a glass vase on the other side of the room shattered. "Bullshit", she spat out. "If she was so damned concerned about me; where the hell was she two weeks ago?"

"Rogue, please control yourself. We can't have you relapsing now. And please watch your language." His tone was firm but not upset.

She sighed and settled down into the chair a little. "I'm sorry Professor. But just the thought of that...that...makes my blood boil. If I see her right now I won't be held responsible for what happens."

"I was afraid of that, which is part of why I asked her to leave. I won't force you to see her, but there are unresolved issues between the two of you and the sooner you talk things over, the better. Things will only get worse if you let it fester. Please, think it over."

"Alright Professor. I can't make any promises, but I will think about it." Rogue nodded reluctantly.

"Thank you. I'll contact Raven tomorrow and let her know. I had promised her that I would give her an answer soon." He rested his hands in his lap and used his telekinesis to pick up the pieces of the broken vase and move them into a wastebasket next to his desk. "Now, you said there was something that you wanted to talk to me about?"

Rogue tensed up a little and held her hands tightly in her lap. Here goes everything "There is, but first I need you to promise me that you won't tell anyone what we've talked about tonight."

"Of course Rogue; please, continue."

"Well, first I have to confess that I lied to you about where I was tonight. I wasn't at the movies; I was with Remy. He told me about his past tonight, and let me into his mind so I know that what he's telling me is true. He doesn't want to work for Magneto anymore; he wants to accept your offer and join the X-men, but he thinks he needs to prove himself and earn our trust. Besides, he thinks Magneto is up to something particularly nasty and wants to keep an eye on him. Remy says he's brought in some scientist named Essex and apparently the two of them have been holed up together ever since he arrived. From what he's said about Essex it sounds like he's a real nasty fellow. Is there any way we can help him?"

Xavier looked grave. "I haven't heard too much about this Dr. Essex, but I don't like what I did hear. He's very interested in mutant experimentation, but his subjects haven't always come out the better it. What could Magneto want with him though? Of course we will help him Rogue. It would be foolish for Gambit to try to take on Magneto alone. Why the secrecy though?"

"Well, apparently this Essex is a telepath and Remy's afraid that he'll get caught if Essex happens to read the wrong mind by accident. I guess he doesn't have the same scruples about using his power that you do."

The Professor nodded. "That is an understandable concern. I don't like to keep secrets from my X-men, but there are times when it is necessary. I think that this may be one of those occasions. I'd like to meet with both of you to discuss this further. Have Mr. LeBeau come here tomorrow night after everyone has gone to bed. I presume he can find his way in. I'll make sure that Logan doesn't detect his presence."

There was a trace of a smile on Rogue's lips. "I don't think he'll have any problem getting in. He seems to be rather handy at that kind of thing."

Xavier smiled a little at this too. "That he does. Well Rogue, it is late, and I do believe you have a session in the Danger Room tomorrow morning. You should go on to bed now."

"You're right; I think I'll need all the sleep I can get." She got up and headed for the door. "Thank you for everything Professor. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Rogue. Sleep well."

O-o-o-o-O

What a perfectly beautiful, normal day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, she had just spent her morning getting her butt kicked in the Danger Room, she was in love and was helping her boyfriend defect from Magneto...okay, so it couldn't be quite called normal. But at least it was a beautiful day outside.

Rogue was on her way to the park, claiming fatigue and a desire to escape Wolverine. It was a valid excuse; now that she had what he considered "everything but the kitchen sink" in her head now, he had decided he could stop going easy on her in the Danger Room and start really putting her through her paces. Her opinion was that that was ridiculous considering he had never gone easy on her in the first place; as usual nobody listened to her though. The fatigue part was also true. Her body ached and she was so tired that she almost considered saying fuck the park in order to go back to bed. The only thing that kept her from doing that though was the thought of Remy waiting for her at her destination. They had agreed to meet today to let him know how her talk with the Professor had gone last night.

She couldn't help but be nervous at the idea of her boyfriend trying to fool Mags by himself. As much as she'd love him to just say the hell with Magneto and just accept Professor Xavier's offer, she had to agree with him that if his soon-to-be-ex employer had something nasty planned, the best way to stop it would be from the inside.

Despite her worries, she couldn't keep her mind from turning to more slightly girly things. _Boyfriend. Who would have ever thought I'd have a boyfriend?_ Not that she considered Remy a boy, but to think of what they also were to each other would only leave her blushing. _And he's the sexiest man in Bayville to boot. Eat your hearts out, Jean and Kitty. Scott, Kurt and Lance have nothing on my man_. Looking back, she felt she had to have been crazy for ever developing a crush on Scott. Sure he was a nice guy and everything, but he was too set in his ways and dedicated to doing what was right to ever keep up with a girl like her. Not like Remy... Jean could have Cyke for all she cared. She had the Prince of Thieves in her arms.

And there was her prince now. They had picked a new spot to meet, tucked deeper in the park, nearby the lake. Remy was reclining on the ground near a tree, playing solitaire. Him and those cards... She had asked him once why he seemed to have a fixation with playing cards. He had told her that they helped keep his hands busy as he tended to get kind of fidgety, also they made great weapons as they were light and could fly farther than a lot of other objects.

So what if the love of her life was a thief and soon-to-be-ex Acolyte who sang badly in the shower and had a card fetish? He wasn't Prince Charming, but he was as close as she figured she'd get, and he was hers. As far as Rogue was concerned, she had the cream of the crop. Not that she'd ever tell him that though. The boy didn't need his ego to get any bigger than it was already.

Remy looked up and smiled at her. "_Bon jour petite_. How did it go with _M'sieur_ Wolverine today?"

She groaned and collapsed down next to him, interrupting his card game and laying her head on his hip. "Oh god, don't ask. First two hours in a group session then an additional hour on my own. I swear the man's a sadist. Can I die yet?"

Remy chuckled and shifted so that he was lying back against the tree with Rogue's head in his lap. He then started to play with her hair. "_Non Chere_. If you go, who's going to stay here with me?"

"But I swear I'm all set to go. I've gone through purgatory already. Come with me, it'll be fun. I've always wanted a pair of wings."

"If you want wings, why not just absorb that Angel fellow? Scratch that; on second thought I don't want any other man's thoughts in my girl's head. Besides, what makes you think I can get in there? I'm not exactly angel material."

Rogue felt like purring, loving the feeling of Remy's gloved fingers running through her hair. "I'll make them let you in. Not even St. Peter would want to get into an argument with me."

He grinned down at her. "I'll agree with that." She slapped his arm playfully and he dropped a kiss on the top of her head then leaned back. "So how did it go last night?"

"It went well, for the most part. The Professor wants to see both of us tonight after everyone has gone to bed. He's promised to keep Logan out of the way so you won't have any problems getting in."

"_Bon_. You know for such a smart man, you'd think Xavier would do a better job with his security. I'll have to give him some pointers after I join. "

"Have you given any thought to what you'll do after you leave Buckethead? I know you haven't finished school."

"I don't know. I never was one for classroom learning. My _pere_ home-schooled us when we were growing up. Can't exactly go back to thieving if I'm going to be an X-man though." He sighed. "Imagine that, Remy LeBeau walking the straight and narrow. Never thought I'd see that happen. No, I don't know what I'll do yet, but I'll think of something." He looked down at Rogue and stroked her cheek. "You said it went well for the most part. Did something else happen?"

She bit her lip and turned to face away from him, taking hold of the hand on her face. "Yes. My...mother...showed up at the mansion while I was with you last night. Apparently she wants to see me."

Remy muttered a curse under his breath. "I'm sorry Rogue; I know she's the last person you want to talk to right now. Did she say why she wanted to see you?"

"According to the Professor, she wants to make sure I'm okay after what happened. "

"You don't know if you can believe her or not though."

"Of course not! Almost everything that woman has said to me since we met has been a lie. Would you believe her?"

He squeezed her hand gently. "I don't blame you there, _petite_. I don't think I'd want to listen to her either. So, are you going to see her?"

"I don't want to, but the Professor said it will just make things worse if I wait too long. I might as well just get it over with."

"I wish I could offer to be there with you..."

"I know Remy, but this is something I need to do alone."

He pulled her up into his lap and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her head. "Soon _Chere_, I won't be on the sidelines anymore, and you'll never have to face anything alone again."

"And neither will you, Remy." Rogue yawned and snuggled into Remy's chest, loving the sound of his heartbeat in her ear. He smiled down at her. "Time for a nap now?"

"Mmmhmmm..", she mumbled sleepily.

"Sleep then. I don't mind being a pillow for my Roguey"

She crinkled her nose. "Roguey?"

Remy grinned. "Oui. You my Roguey. Now hush and go to sleep."

Rogue mumbled a few unpleasant things under her breath, but did as requested. Just as she dropped off to sleep, she thought she heard him whisper. "I could get used to this."

O-o-o-o-O

It was late when Remy snuck into the mansion that night. He was happy to find that the Professor was true to his word and there was no sign of the Wolverine around. He was about to knock on Xavier's office when it opened upon Rogue's smiling face.

"Come on in, he said you were here."

_I hate spooks_ He thought as he sighed inwardly and walked into the office. Rogue closed the door behind him and offered him a seat in front of Xavier's desk. She sat down beside him and turned to the Professor. He gave Remy a polite smile.

"Remy, it's good to see you again. Rogue's told me something of your situation, but perhaps I'd like to hear your version as well."

"_Oui, m'sieur_. I can do that." So he explained everything; how he came to be out on his own, the work he had done over the years before meeting Magneto, and meeting Essex the first time. He also told about how Essex was now staying at the Acolytes base and that he and Magneto now spent most of their time either closeted away together in Mag's office or on out of town trips. "_M'sieur_ Essex, he's one creepy guy. If he's working with Magneto, then I don't think I'm going to like what they're going to want us to do. I'll find out what they're up to and help you stop them, in exchange for a place among the X-men." He had Rogue's hand in his lap and had been playing with her fingers throughout the entire discussion so far.

Xavier steepled his fingers in front of him and looked thoughtful. "Is this your only reason for wanting to join, then? To get away from Magneto?"

Remy narrowed his eyes and his grip on Rogue's hand tightened. "Don't play games with me, _M'sieur_. You know perfectly well that Rogue and I are together. I refuse to be on the outside watching her anymore. I don't care what you or any of your other X-men think. I will be part of Rogue's life, until she tells me different."

"I'm not playing games Remy; I just had to be sure that you're not either. Rogue is a member of our family here, and I will do whatever is needed to protect her."

"So will I Professor, so will I." Remy relaxed a little and started stroking Rogue's fingers again.

"Yes, I see that."

"Okay fellows can you stop talking like I'm not here?" Rogue tried to take her hand away from Remy but he refused to let it go. Instead he kissed her fingertips in apology. "Sorry _Chere_, I just don't like it when people doubt me." He turned to face Xavier. "Do you accept my offer?"

The telepath paused for a moment before responding. "Yes, I accept. I would have welcomed you among us regardless of any kind of trade, but I can see the necessity of what you want to do. It would probably be easiest to use Rogue to send messages of when you get info, but you'll have to be more careful than ever to hide your relationship. Do you think you can do that?"

"_Oui_, I can. I don't like bringing her into this, but I don't want anyone else knowing what's going on either."

"Rogue, what about you?"

Remy felt her squeeze his hand as she responded, "Yes, I can do this."

"Okay, it's settled then. Remy, please let us know as soon as you find out any information, and also if there's anything you need to aid you in getting it. I will do what I can on this end to help Rogue cover her tracks for when she needs to meet with you." Pausing for a moment, he extended his hand across the desk to Remy.

"It may be a little early yet, but welcome to the X-men."

O-o-o-o-O

There you have it folks, our mutiny is now in progress.


	22. Chapter 22

AN

AN

AN: If anyone here actually thinks I own the X-men, I want some of whatever they're smoking. "Cooking With Clarice" does belong to me though (cookies to anyone who can tell me where they've seen that before).

And now for a new perspective:

O-o-o-o-O

If there was anyplace she liked being at better than the mall, Kitty couldn't think of what it was. All of her favorite stores under one roof. And annoying her roommate made it even better. Some people may call it living dangerously, but any excuse to get under Rogue's skin was a good excuse. It wasn't that she hated her roommate; on the contrary, she considered the moody Goth to be one of her best friends. She just figured that with the way Rogue tried to avoid people, getting any kind of reaction out of her was a good thing. Today their mission was to get a new alarm clock as Rogue had blown hers up again that morning. Despite the almost incessant training sessions with Wolverine, she still didn't have complete control over her borrowed powers, and accidents have happened. Kitty still didn't quite believe Rogue when she said that phasing her favorite cookbook into the wall was an accident though. She'd been taping her favorite culinary show, "Cooking With Clarice", and felt that her cooking had improved greatly, but some people just had no taste.

Along with the alarm clock, she also wanted to look at swimsuits. The pool was going to be opened soon, and she wanted a blue suit to match her fuzzy blue boyfriend when they went swimming together. They'd been going out for a few weeks now, and she couldn't be happier. Kurt was such a better match for her than Lance had been. He was sweet, funny, courteous, and didn't work for Mystique.

She was giving her roommate the details of their latest date when they heard a smooth voice behind them.

"_Bon jour petites_. This mall is quite the place, _non_? Remy come here and find just what he was looking for, two pretty ladies."

Turning around she saw the tall figure of Gambit standing behind them. Kitty tried to stifle a giggle as she watched her roommate's face turn red. The Acolyte had been chasing Rogue for a few weeks now, popping up all over the place and laying his charm on her. Rogue didn't seem to be falling for it though. She couldn't understand why; sure the guy worked for Magneto, but he was drop dead gorgeous. And that accent. Yum! Kitty wouldn't mind going for him herself, if she wasn't already head over heels for Kurt. She thought it was a shame that Rogue wouldn't have anything to do with Gambit; she thought the guy might really like her.

Rogue turned to Gambit with her usual scowl on her face. "What the hell are YOU doing here Swamp Rat?"

Gambit gave an adorable pout. "_Chere_, this is a public place, _non_? Remy has just as much right to be here as you do. He was just doing some shopping when he saw your beautiful face and just had to stop and say hello."

If anything Rogue's scowl got deeper. "Well you've said hello now go away. We don't want to talk to you."

Kitty grinned. This was too much fun. "Like speak for yourself Rogue. I don't mind talking to him."

Her roommate gave her a look that clearly said "Later for you, wench"

Gambit winked at Kitty. "See, the _petite_ here don't mind talking to Remy. She seems to have good taste in men. Remy don't know what your problem is." He took Kitty's hand and kissed it. "Would you and your _tres belle ami_ here care to come and have a snack with Remy?"

Before Kitty could respond Rogue grabbed her hand and tried to pull her away. "No, she doesn't want to go anywhere with you, and neither do I. Now why don't you just crawl back under that rock you came from before you get hurt."

Gambit made to touch Rogue's hair but she smacked his hand away. "_Chere_, you wound Remy. He was just trying to be nice."

"I will wound you in a minute if you don't leave us alone."

He gave a sigh, then smirked. "Your wish is Remy's command. That's okay though, Remy knows you'll come around."

Rogue snorted. "Hold your breath Swamp Rat, and I'll think about it. Let's go Kitty." And with that Kitty was dragged off in the other direction.

"Rogue, I don't understand why you don't like at least talk to the guy. I think he likes you."

"If you haven't forgotten Kitty, he works for Buckethead. Besides, he's obviously a player. He probably just wants to play games. Well I don't play those kinds of games. The boy's got trouble written all over him."

"But..."

"Kitty if you don't drop it I'm gonna port you into the next county, got it?"

Kitty sighed and decided to keep up her mouth shut. Annoying her roommate was one thing; self-preservation was another.

O-o-o-o-O

Remy smiled to himself as he made his way back through the mall. This was just too easy. His Rogue had done a nice job of putting him down today. Maybe he should find her a present.

O-o-o-o-O

Later that day Rogue was walking back to the institute by herself. Kitty had met up with Jubilee and Rahne and the girls had decided to see a movie. Rogue had declined as she had no desire to see "Ella Enchanted". The film just sounded way too girly for her tastes.

Smiling to herself as she remembered the scene earlier, she took out the note that Remy had managed to slip into the pocket of her jeans. She knew the boy was good with his hands _down girl, not now_ but she just couldn't figure out how he managed to pull off stunts like that. What Remy liked to call "Operation Bag Mags" was going smoothly but slowly. Doors locked by the Master of Magnetism were notoriously difficult to break into, and Sabertooth hanging around all the time didn't help. As a result, information was in short supply. Rogue opened the note and reread it.

_Chere,_

_Mags and his friend are going out of town for a while. I overheard them say something about a lab they're building. Maybe you could give a hand with a door? Come out to the coffee house tonight._

_Je'taime,_

_Remy_

Coffee house, eh? She could do that. She was almost having fun with this little game they were playing. Having him flirt and annoy her in public gave her an excuse to see him and an excuse for her to have Remy's scent around in case Logan goes sniffing. All these extra training sessions were making it hard for her to sneak out and see Remy, so she enjoyed every chance she got to see him, even if he was acting like a dork when they met in public. It was working, too. After the first couple of times he'd accosted her out in the open, Kitty had gleefully told the rest of the mansion that her roommate had an admirer. And Rogue had made it very clear how much she hated the attention and the person paying it to her. What she really hated though was having to blow him off when she'd rather show him off.

Time to get rid of the evidence though. She kind of felt like she was on Mission: Impossible as she crumpled up the noted and started charging it with Remy's power. _This message will self destruct in five seconds_ She then threw it into an alley as she passed it by and heard a small explosion.

"So it's true then. You can control the powers you've absorbed."

Rogue spun around in surprise. There coming out of the alley she had just passed was Mommy Dearest, as big as life and twice as bitchy. "You've got a lot of nerve, Mystique , coming to see me after what you've done."

"Rogue, listen to me, it's not what you think. I was merely trying to be close to you..."

"You LIE!! You needed a way to spy on the X-men and you USED me!" Rogue dove at the shape shifter, who backed into the alley to evade her daughter's attack.

"It's not that simple Rogue! ", Mystique panted as she defended herself against a furious Rogue. "Yes I had multiple motives, but can you blame a mother for wanting to see her child?"

"Enough! I'm not going to listen to you. Why didn't you just throw me off a bridge like you did your other child? Maybe I would have had a better chance then. Better that then to grow up being lied to by you and Irene. I was a fool to ever believe she loved me." Rogue got a punch in that sounded like it almost cracked Mystique's jaw.

The blue-skinned mutant winced in pain and backed off, still not attacking. "She does love you Rogue. Very much. You are as much her daughter as you are mine."

"Great, "she drawled. "I can see the book now. 'Rogue Has Two Mutant Terrorist Mommies'. If she loved me she would have told me the truth. And where is Irene, anyway? She hasn't answered my letters and the number in Caldecott is disconnected."

Mystique leaned against the wall, cradling her jaw. Rogue idly wondered what color bruises were on blue mutants. "She's here in Bayville. There was no reason for her to stay in Mississippi any longer after you left. She's missed you greatly."

"I'm so sure. That's why I haven't heard a word from her in months, huh?"

"Would you have listened to her, now that you know the truth?"

"I guess we'll never know now, will we? What I do know is that I'm done with both of you. You can rot in hell for all I care."

Mystique took a step forward and reached her hand out. "Don't do this Rogue. You can't just give up on your family."

Rogue spat in her face. "You? You were never my family. Irene was my family, but she betrayed me. Kurt and the X-men are all the family I need now. And speaking of Kurt; you just stay the hell away from my brother. If I catch you trying to pull any of this shit with him I swear you'll regret it." She turned her back on Mystique and started walking out of the alley. "Goodbye, Mother ."

Mystique just sank back against the wall, feeling tired and bruised, a single tear rolling down her face. _I'm so sorry, little one._

O-o-o-o-O

Rogue entered The Pour House that evening to find Remy settled on their usual couch, a hot cup of coffee waiting for her. She smiled and sat down next to him, taking the cup from him. "Were you waiting long?"

Remy shrugged. "Not too long. Being a mutant comes in handy though."

She grinned. "My own personal coffee warmer."

Leaning over to her ear, he whispered "Considering I get you as my own personal bed warmer, I think it's a good trade, don't you?"

Rogue blushed and sipped at her coffee; feeling warm all over and not just from the beverage. He noticed her reaction and nipped her ear with his teeth, dropping his voice a little. "I was reading a chapter from Pyro's current book and he had this shower scene in there that just made me think of you. Can't you just picture it now, the hot water sliding off our skin, our bodies pressed tight against the wall, me slipping deep inside you..."

Rogue bit back a moan and pushed him away, almost spilling her coffee in the progress. "Stop that Remy. You're cruel, you know that?"

He leaned back into the couch, a seductive smirk on his face. "_Oui Chere_, I know. I just don't want to suffer alone though."

"I'll show you suffering." She muttered under her breath.

"Please?"

Rogue laughed a little, having a hard time staying mad at him. "Anyone ever tell you you're a masochist?"

"Only for the right woman."

She shook her head slowly and went back to sipping her coffee. "So what's this business about a trip?"

"All I know is he and the doctor are having a lab built somewhere out of town. He don't say where, and seeing as how he always flies himself via Pinball Airlines, can't exactly track his flight. He's taking Sabby with him, so I figure it's a good opportunity to try getting into his office. I'll have a better chance of getting in though if I have someone with me who can open it the way he does, _non_?"

"Which is where I come in."

"_Oui_. I don't like the idea of getting you involved further, but it looks like that's the only way I'll get in there."

"I'm sure I'll be okay. I'll have you with me, won't I?" She took one of his hands and gave it a squeeze. "So when do you want to do this?"

"I'll have to find out what John and Piotr will be up to while Mags is gone. I'll let you know as soon as I can though." He smiled and whispered in her ear again. "Come back to my place for a little while, Rogue? It feels like it's been forever."

Rogue blushed. "You always say that Remy. It hasn't even been a week since I was over last."

"True, but time goes so slow when you're not in my arms."

"Okay, but let me finish my coffee first."

"Sadist."

"Yeah, but you seem to love it."

"You know it, _Chere_."


	23. Chapter 23

AN: starts handing out the candy cigarettes in advance

AN: _starts handing out the candy cigarettes in advance_

O-o-o-o-O

Rogue wanted to purr. What she wouldn't give to spend every night like this. Remy had tackled her almost the moment they got through the door of his apartment, pinning her to the wall as he smothered her with kisses through her favorite burgundy scarf. And it only went downhill from there. A trail of discarded clothing led to the bedroom from which only soft moans could be heard now. Remy loved to leave hickeys in the most obscure places and the undersides of her breasts were now sensitive from where he had been suckling her skin through the silk sheet. She knew it would take a while for the marks to go away but she didn't care. All her world comprised of right now were the warmth of his breath as he whispered in her ear and the slow pump of his hips against hers. She lay pinned beneath him tonight and the weight of his body on hers was so good that there was no place else in the world she wanted to be.

Remy was tormenting her tonight; taking her at a teasingly slow pace, murmuring in her ear about how sweet she felt around him, didn't she wish he would just go a little faster and how good she'd feel when she finally came. In the past few weeks since they became lovers they'd become more comfortable with each other's bodies. He often let her set the pace for their lovemaking but tonight Rogue was at his mercy. To Rogue's mixed delight and dismay though, she'd discovered that when it came to sex Remy LeBeau had no mercy. He played her body like a violin; knowing instinctively what would make her sing, sometimes having her begging to be released before he finally granted it to her. Rogue was a fast pupil though, and it wasn't long before she was able to give as good as she got. Some of her favorite nights were those where she was able to drive Remy to the point that he seemed to forget the English language completely and a steady stream of French would pour out of his mouth.

He seemed ready to ease her suffering though as he increased the pace of his thrusts and fastened his mouth over one of her nipples, laving it with his tongue until she cried out in her release, bringing him along with her. Remy rested his head against her silk-covered chest for a moment, catching his breath before rolling them both onto their sides, their bodies still joined. He pressed a soft kiss against her hairline then laid his head against the pillow as his breathing slowed, just gazing at her.

"_Je t'aime, Rogue _", he whispered. "Wish you didn't have to go. It would make my day to wake up in the morning and still have you here."

Rogue thought her heart would break at the longing look on Remy's face. "I know. I wish I could stay too."

He smirked at her. "It's okay though; I can wait. I'm sure there are all kinds of places in that mansion of yours where we can hide away and not get caught."

"I don't know about that. Logan's pretty good at sniffing people out. He's already caught Scott and Jean in the linen closet once already."

Remy shuddered. "Note to self, Remy; stay out of the linen closet."

She laughed. "I gotta agree with you on that one. I don't need those kinds of images floating around my head."

He started playing with her hair and grinned. "That wouldn't be jealousy, now would it? I know you used to have a thing for Cyke there."

Rogue gasped. "I did n...how did you find out?"

"Give Pietro enough Pixie Stix and he'll tell you anything."

"Hmph. The next time I get my hands on Quicky..."

"Now _Chere_, I thought Quicky was an old _ami_ of yours."

She snorted. "Kind of, but that doesn't mean I won't knock him upside the head if he runs his mouth when he shouldn't. I don't think discretion is even in that boy's vocabulary. Anyway, Scott was just a crush, and it was a long time ago. And it's not jealousy; I just don't want images of Jean running through my mind."

Remy grinned. "Well, since you put it that way, maybe we should check out the linen closet."

Rogue swatted him on the arm. "Oh hush up, you. You just keep little Miss Perfect out of that gutter you call a brain. That's my territory."

"Along with the rest of this handsome devil, of course."

"Of course. Now if this handsome devil would kindly let go of me, I need to take a bath."

He pouted for a moment, then let her go. "Need help washing your back?"

"Why I do believe I do." She led the way into the bathroom where Remy drew a nice bubble bath for her.

Bath time had always been one of her favorite moments, and now with Remy joining her it became even better. He had a pair of massage gloves that he used to soap up every inch of her body. The feeling of his hands running over her skin, even in the gloves, left her relaxed but tormented. It was a sweet torment though, and she wasn't about to give it up any time soon. She sighed happily as Remy sat outside the tub and slowly washed her.

"A girl could get spoiled being treated like this. It's like having my own personal slave."

"Who says I'm not your slave?"

"True. I don't think we'll get to do this too often when you move into the mansion though."

He grinned at her. "Then we'll have to make sure you stay very clean before that happens." He rinsed her off with the showerhead then went over her carefully with a towel, making sure every nook and cranny of her body was nice and dry.

Dressed again, they sat in the living room chatting. Rogue told him about meeting up with Mystique that afternoon, and about their conversation.

"I'm glad you left some bruises on her, Rogue. Should have given her a black eye though."

She laughed a little. "Yeah, maybe next time. I really hope there isn't a next time though."

"Did she ever mention what happened to the blind _femme_, Irene?"

Rogue sighed. "Apparently she's here in Bayville; has been for awhile."

"Are you going to try and see her?"

"No. She obviously has nothing to say to me so I have nothing to say to her. I'd be quite happy not seeing either of them ever again. I doubt I'll get that lucky though."

"I'm sorry Rogue. I hate how they've hurt you." He got up off the couch and went over to his coat, taking a little box out of the pocket. He gave it to her as he sat back down.

"I thought you did such a good job in our little game today that I got you a present."

She smiled as she opened the box. Inside were a pair of tiny ruby stud earrings. "That was so sweet of you Remy; they're beautiful. And they go perfectly with my necklace, too." She fingered the chain of the mask necklace that she continued to wear. "Do I want to know where you got these, Swamp Rat?"

He winked at her. "Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies."

"Heh, figures. I rather enjoyed putting you down today Cajun. Gave me an excuse to terrorize Kitty, too." She grinned for a moment at the memory, then sighed. "As much fun as it is, she's still my friend and I hate having to lie to her. Doesn't it seem crazy to you sometimes, what we're having to do to be together?"

"Yes, but as a wise person once said, _'Quand l'amour n'est pas la folie, ce n'est pas l'amour'_." (When love is not madness, it is not love)

"That's very nice. And who was this wise person who said that?"

"Dunno _Chere_, but whoever it was, they had to have been wise, _non_?"

She laughed and kissed her gloved fingertip before pressing it to his nose. "_Je t'aime_ Remy. Now I've really got to go."

Remy sighed. "Alas, _mon amour_ loves me and leaves me yet again." He touched her hair as she went out the door. "Sleep well Roguey."

"Roguey...pffffft." She stuck her tongue out at him and closed the door in his face.

O-o-o-o-O

Gambit got his lucky break a few days later. Pyro announced that he had a book signing at the mall that Friday. Piotr, of course, was needed to drive him since Magneto didn't trust John behind the wheel of any of the vehicles.

"Bloody hell mate, just because I drove on the left one time..."

"_Mon ami_, you also took out a mail truck and three stop signs."

"Ain't my fault you blokes can't get yer streets right."

"Tell that to the mailman."

"'e'll get over it. I betcha 'e don't remember a damned thing."

"True. Concussions will do that to a person."

Luckily Piotr broke in at this point, because Pyro was starting to play with his lighter. "Enough, both of you. I will do the driving to the mall. You John, will shut up, and you Remy, will guard the base while we are gone. Understood?"

"Whatever you say, mate."

"What he said, _mon ami_." One should never argue with large metallic Russians. Remy pushed himself up off the couch where he'd been lounging around for most of the discussion. "Going for a drive, guys. Be back later." He put on his ever-present trench coat and headed out the door. Normally he'd wait and give the news when he harassed his girlfriend during the day, but now that summer had started he couldn't guarantee when he'd see her next. Besides, it was a beautiful night for a drive and he needed practice sneaking past Wolverine.

Arriving at the institute, he hid his motorcycle just off the property and climbed a tree so he could see into Rogue's room. From his vantage point he could see that she was alone in the room. Remy got down from the tree and climbed up onto the balcony of her room. He could hear reggae music cranked on the stereo, so he knocked louder than he normally would on the window. Rogue looked up, startled, and made a face at him before coming over to the balcony door. His _chere_ was soooooo mature.

"What are you doing here, Remy? Are you crazy?"

"Certifiable. Come up to the roof." And with that he climbed up to the roof, knowing she'd follow. And she did a minute or two later, still looking like she wanted to call the guys in white coats.

"Okay Remy, I'm here. What's going on?"

"Since when has my Roguey been into reggae?"

"She isn't. But her roommate was watching Cool Runnings this evening and has been on a Bob Marley kick ever since. She just went downstairs for a snack."

Remy laughed. Kitty was something else. Nice enough girl, but he didn't know how Rogue put up living with her sometimes. They were such complete opposites. He grabbed Rogue's hands and started dancing her around to the music.

"Remy, what are you doing?" She looked like she was trying not to laugh but failed. Remy started singing along with the music.

"Stir it up, little darling; stir it up, little darling..."

"Remy dear, whoever told you that you could sing, lied through their teeth."

"Hush _fille_. Just dance with me."

"If I do will you tell me what's going on?"

"_Oui_."

She shrugged and got more into the dance, allowing him to spin her around to the bouncy beat. "So spill it Swamp Rat, tell me why you're here before I have to suck the information out of you."

Remy leered at her. "Oh _Chere_, you just said one of my favorite words."

"Knock it off," she growled. "Do you want Logan or someone else to catch us up here?"

"Okay, okay. Friday night John has a book signing at the mall and Piotr's driving him. I'll be by myself guarding the base. I figure that's our best chance right there."

"Why does he need Piotr to drive him?"

"Trust me Rogue, you don't want to see John behind the wheel."

"Worse than Kitty?"

"Kitty's a pro compared to him."

"Ouch."

"_Oui_, that's what I said the last time I rode with him." Remy said ruefully. "Anyway, so they'll be gone. You think you can get away?"

"I'll tell the Professor. I'm sure he'll agree."

"Good. Meet me at the coffee house at 7 then." The music had gotten a little slower and he was still dancing her around the roof. "So, from what I understand someone is turning 18 next week, am I right?"

"Yeah, I don't see what the big deal is though, it's just another birthday."

Remy smiled. "But it's your birthday, why would I not want to celebrate the day you were born? You doing anything that night?"

"I think Kitty and the others are planning some kind of party. I'd invite you, but well, you know..."

"I know. We'll have to celebrate early then."

She grumbled. "If you insist."

"But I do," he lowered her into a steep dip. "How can you say no to someone in a position to drop you on the floor?"

"Cajun if I go down I'm taking you with me."

He grinned. "I'd look forward to it." Reluctantly he let her up. "As much as I love having you in my arms on such a pretty night, I really should go. I'm sure your roommate's wondering where you are by now."

She sighed. "I'm sure you're right." She gave him a quick hug before letting him go. "You be careful getting out of here."

"Of course Rogue. I'm always careful." He helped her back down onto the balcony and then jumped down to the ground. He blew her a kiss before sneaking off into the tree line.

O-o-o-o-O

Friday came faster than she thought it would. Having cleared her absence with the Professor, she drove to the coffee house. Remy was waiting outside, and he kissed her hand before helping her onto the back of his bike. She wrapped her arms around his waist and held on as he took off. Here was one part of this she definitely didn't mind. She loved motorcycles, and getting to hold Remy was an added bonus. She was sure he could feel her heartbeat as she rested her chin on his shoulder and watched the scenery fly by.

The Acolytes' base was a converted warehouse in the industrial section of town. It was nestled among several other abandoned warehouses so they didn't worry about intruders. There were security cameras, but Remy had said he would take care of any tape showing the two of them before Mags got back. He unlocked the door and brought her inside.

"How long have John and Piotr been gone?" He had told her so many stories about his two teammates that she was used to calling them by their first names now.

"About an hour or so. I don't expect them back for another couple of hours. John always wants to hang out at the candle store whenever he goes to the mall. It usually takes a while for Piotr to drag him out." He looked around and, seeming to be satisfied that they were alone, led her down a hallway.

"I feel like I'm sneaking into your room to fool around, Remy."

He turned around and winked at her. "Maybe later, _Chere_." He stopped at the end of the hallway in front of a door that seemed to lack hinges, doorknob or any means of getting in whatsoever.

"Now you see my problem?"

"That I do, Remy. Thankfully it can be dealt with." She paused for a second to tap into Magneto's psyche, and could tell by Remy's swift intake of breath that her eyes were now glowing white with the power of magnetism. Now that she was in tune with Magneto's power it was a simple thing to manipulate the molecules in the metal of the door and open it like it was any other door.

Remy whistled. "Beautiful."

Rogue was feeling rather pleased with herself. "Thanks."

"The work with the door was nice too." He blew her a kiss and dodged her fist as he walked into Magneto's office laughing. She sighed in resignation and started to help Remy in looking for any papers that might help them figure out what Mags was up to. They had been searching without luck for several minutes when Rogue spoke up.

"Remy, come here, look at this." She sounded excited and so he went over to her side and looked at the papers she held. She grinned as a smirk appeared on his face.

"I think you've got something, Rogue. These look like blueprints to a lab. I bet you anything they're for that lab he's building out of town." He took a little camera out of his coat pocket that looked like it could have been stolen from one of those spy movies and snapped pictures of the blueprints. He tucked the camera back into his pocket and was about to say something when they heard voices in the hall.

"Yo, Remy mate, where the hell are ya?"

O-o-o-o-O

_sigh_ Yes, I know, I'm bad. It's good to be king though. (or author, in this case. Same thing)


	24. Chapter 24

AN: I forgot to mention, the French quote in the last chapter came from Kitsune Moonstar

AN: I forgot to mention, the French quote in the last chapter came from Kitsune Moonstar. I don't know where she got it though.

O-o-o-o-O

"_Merde_" Remy whispered. _Fuckin' hell. What on earth are those two doing back already?_

Rogue froze, panic flickering in her eyes. "Are they close enough to see the door yet, do you think?"

Remy listened carefully. "No, I don't think so."

"Okay." She closed her eyes and he saw the office door close in front of them.

"What you doing, Rogue? They know I'm supposed to still be here."

"What was that door just outside this office? Where does it lead?"

"It goes to our rooms. But how are we going to get there?"

"Like this." And she grabbed Remy's arm and pulled him towards the wall. Flinching in anticipation of getting hit with the wall, he was surprised when they went through it. _Forgot that she had her roommate's powers_ They ended up in the hallway of the Acolytes' living quarters.

"My room's second on the right. Go hide in there. I'll pretend I've got company." He handed her his trench coat and pushed her in the right direction. Then he mussed up his hair a bit and opened the door to the main hallway of the base.

"Ain't you boys back a little early?"

Pyro stood at the other end, with a grin on his face, Piotr just behind him, looking stoic as always. "What's the matter, you got a sheila here or something?"

Remy walked down the hall towards them, then looked back towards the door slyly. "As a matter of fact, I do have a date tonight, and I'd prefer it if you two fools didn't mess it up for me."

Piotr looked confused. "You don't usually bring your dates back here Remy."

Remy smirked. "I know, but this was closer than my apartment and the _fille_ didn't want to wait."

John laughed. "Oy, to have the luck with the ladies you do."

"In your dreams, Aussie-boy. So what happened? I thought you had a book signing."

"I did, but..."

Piotr broke in. "But he almost got into a fight when Cyclops and some of the other X-men showed up."

"It was her! She was there! My beautiful, flaming sheila." John sighed, a lovesick expression on his face.

Remy rolled his eyes. "So what happened, _mon ami_?"

Piotr continued. "Her and a couple of the other X-girls were in line to get autographs. John got excited when he saw her and tried to give her some flowers made of fire. She recognized him and got scared, then Cyclops came over and accused him of trying to attack the girl. John was about to set him on fire when I dragged him out of there."

Remy shook his head. "What were you thinking, Johnny? You don't just go lighting things up in the mall. Besides, the _femme's_ a minor. Ever heard of the word 'jailbait'?"

"Ah mate, love knows no age. Have you looked at her? She's just so bloody beautiful. A princess of fire, she is."

Remy grinned. "You've sure got it bad."

"Fuck off, what do you know? S'not like you've ever fallen in love before."

_Oh Johnny, if you only knew_ Remy shook his head. "Well if it means turning out like you, I'm glad I haven't. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a _tres belle femme_ in my room, and I'd hate to make her wait." He turned his back on his teammates and walked back to his room. Closing his door and locking it, he looked around to see Rogue lying on his bed, cuddled up under his trench coat, looking dead to the world. He smiled and lay down next to her, brushing her hair out of her face.

"_Chere_, you falling asleep on me already? That's not very nice. I think I'm insulted."

Rogue opened her eyes. "Sorry Remy, I'm just a little tired. Using multiple powers tends to wear me out."

"It's okay. You just rest for a while then. The boys already think I've got a beautiful _fille_ in my bed, I'd hate to be a liar." He carefully removed her shoes and tucked her in under his blankets, then crawled in behind her in a spoon position, wrapping his arms around her. "You were great tonight," he whispered in her ear, "I couldn't have done this without you."

She smiled and didn't open her eyes, but she did lay her gloved hand over his where it rested on her waist. "I was glad to Remy," she whispered back, "You're not alone in this."

"No, and I'm happy it's you with me." He kissed her hair. "Now go to sleep. I'll wake you in a little while. _Je t'aime_."

She snuggled closer to him and sighed. "I love you too Remy."

He closed his eyes and relaxed; listening to her breathing until it was obvious she was asleep. It was a delicious feeling, having her asleep in his arms. Such a rare pleasure and he intended to enjoy every second of it. Rogue's face was so soft and relaxed when she slept. He wished he could see it look like that more often, but he understood about keeping one's guard up; it was something he did every day. With the way Wolverine kept his eye on everyone, he probably wouldn't have too many moments like this with her even after he moved into the mansion. He'd have to talk to Xavier about that. By the time he joins the X-men officially, Rogue will be 18 and able to make her own decisions. He was serious about her and had no intention of letting someone else run their relationship as if they were both still children. He could just imagine the look on Wolverine's face when he finds out someone's been sleeping with his "little girl". The feral mutant was like the overprotective father from hell. Grinning to himself at the image of the Wolverine having a cow, he let himself fall asleep.

He woke up an hour or so later and looked down. While he was asleep Rogue had managed to turn herself around and was now sleeping with her head buried in his chest, her arms wrapped around him. "_Réveillez mon joli_,"(wake up my pretty) he said, stroking her face softly with his gloved hand.

"mmmm...do I have to Remy?", she purred, burying her face closer into him.

He chuckled. "I love having you here, but it's getting late. You need to get home before you turn into a pumpkin."

She sighed and sat up. "If I must."

"Unfortunately, yes. The problem we have now is, how do I get you out of here?"

"I can take care of that." His eyes widened as she used Mystique's power and changed into a slightly ditzy-looking blonde. She grinned. "Is this more like what you're used to?", her Southern accent now gone.

"Now _Chere_, I thought you knew I have better taste than that."

"Well I don't want you lusting after my disguise, now do I?"

"Never _mon amour_. You're the only one I lust after now."

"Good. And don't you forget it, either. Now let's go; I'm still kind of tired and don't know how long I can keep this form." She got up out of the bed headed for the door, Remy quickly joining her.

They made their way down through the main hall and passed the recreation area, where John and Piotr were sitting around on the couch watching TV. John looked over and grinned at them, a knowing look in his eyes.

"Did you have a good time, mate?"

"Now _mon ami_, a gentleman never kisses and tells."

"Yeah, but since when have you been a gentleman?"

"I'm insulted. I'm always a gentleman, isn't that right _petite_?" He looked at Rogue, who just giggled and put on her best girly cheerleader act. "Come on, you don't want to talk to these two jokers." He gave John a rude gesture and led Rogue out the door.

He drove her back to the coffee house where she had left the car she had borrowed from the mansion and walked her to the car. Taking her into his arms, he held her for a few minutes, burying his face in her hair. "I'll get these developed and make copies for you to show Xavier," he whispered. "I know your birthday isn't until Tuesday, but will you come out with me tomorrow night? I want to do something special for you."

"You don't have to Remy..."

"But I want to. You don't turn 18 every day, you know. Please let me?"

"How on earth do you manage to turn your doing something for me into my doing you a favor?" she grinned and rolled her eyes. "Okay, I'll do you the favor of letting you take me out tomorrow."

Remy laughed. "_Merci_. Dress normal, we're not going anywhere fancy. Meet me at the park at sunset." He gave her a quick kiss on the mouth, barely managing to escape her powers. "You do look tired. Do you want me to follow you back to the Institute, just to make sure you're okay?"

"I'll be fine Remy, I promise."

"Okay, good night. Sleep well."

Rogue smiled. "You too." She then climbed into the car and left.

O-o-o-o-O

Saturday came with a bright sunny sky and nothing but a few fluffy clouds here and there. Just the kind of day for sitting back and taking it easy, unless you had an instructor named Logan, that is. He had decided that since it was such a beautiful day that the day's training session could be held outside. Rogue groaned as she stepped outside with the others. While the rest of the team was being subjected to a game of mutant dodge ball, she was stuck practicing telekinesis with Jean. And she was sooooooo looking forward to it. Not. Even though she was completely over Scott (and wondering what she had ever seen in him in the first place), Jean was still not one of her favorite people. She managed to be reasonably civil to the girl, but they were just too different to be friends.

As she practiced moving and throwing objects with her mind, Jean instructed her on improving her aim. Before too long she'd be as proficient as Jean was. Rogue smirked at the thought. One benefit she'd discovered of her mutation was that it allowed her to learn control of her borrowed powers at a rate faster than that of their original owners. She bet Miss Perfect hadn't learned things this quickly. Now if only she could get control of her own power like she managed everyone else's. Ever since the Professor had helped tone down the noise of the psyches in her head after her little incident, it had become easier to concentrate and so he had suggested she begin meditation sessions with Logan to help strengthen her mental discipline and eventually control her mutation. It would take time, and she didn't results any time soon, but it was more hope than she had had before.

Hope was something she had a lot more of these days. Part of this was due to her growing mastery of her borrowed powers. Another part of this was due to a certain Cajun. Since knowing Remy she had gotten more comfortable with herself than she could ever remember being. She was still careful not to hurt people with her skin, but she didn't have the constant paranoia that she had lived with previously. It was amazing what having a person truly love and believe in you could do for you.

"Rogue!"

"Huh?" Startled, she dropped the basketballs she had been juggling with her mind.

Jean lifted an eyebrow. "I've been trying to get your attention for the last couple of minutes. The session's over; let's go get changed."

"Oh. Right." Damn, where did the time go? A little embarrassed at having been caught daydreaming, she moved past Jean and headed back to the mansion. She needed to nap and get ready for her date with the Swamp Rat tonight.

O-o-o-o-O

Jean twitched her lips as Rogue passed her by. She hadn't needed to read her teammate's mind this time; the girl's thoughts of the Acolyte were available loud and clear for her viewing. Rogue's memories of Gambit had gotten more and more vivid over the past few weeks. Jean had been surprised when she first uncovered the memory of the two first becoming lovers, but she guessed she shouldn't have been. Gambit seemed to be genuinely in love with Rogue, and her later memories showed his seriousness about their relationship. Jean's control of her telepathy had grown to the stage where she could listen in on the Professor undetected, which she tended to do on a regular basis, including the occasion when Rogue and Gambit met with him to discuss the latter's plans to join the X-men.

Despite the differences between them, Jean was actually happy for Rogue. She remembered what it was to be in love with fondness and a tiny bit of sadness. Over the past few months she had discovered that as her dreams grew in intensity, so her interest in life and the people around her waned. She kept up her relationships for appearance's sake, but the things she had once loved just weren't important anymore. The space in her heart was being cleared and she was waiting; but for what she still didn't know. The dreams had yet to answer that question. All she knew was that her time was growing closer, and she had to be ready.

Whatever was going to happen, those she loved had no part in it.

O-o-o-o-O

Rogue met up with Remy at the park just as the sun was setting over the lake. He gave her a hug and led her to his bike, parked nearby.

"So where are we going tonight, Remy?" She asked as she climbed on behind him.

"You'll see _Chere_." With a grin he took off fast, forcing her to hang on tightly.

"Damn you Swamp Rat!" Not that she minded having to cling to him, she just didn't like getting startled like that, and he knew it. She muttered some unpleasant things under her breath as they raced off into the evening. This had better be good.

He took her several miles outside of town, to the local observatory. After parking, instead of going into the building he took her to a hill just nearby it, where the property bordered on a forest.

Kissing her nose quickly, he said "Stay here.", and climbed up one of the trees at the edge of the woods, and came back down with a small picnic basket. He set the basket down on the ground and took a small blanket out of it, and after covering the ground with it, took out a bottle of champagne, two glasses, and a small container of strawberries.

Rogue laughed. "What is this?"

Remy came over and led her to sit down on the blanket. "Well Rogue, you'll get birthday cake on Tuesday, but I doubt they'll be letting you have champagne. And there's a meteor shower starting soon; I thought we'd sit here and watch. That sound okay?"

"That sounds great Remy." He joined her on the blanket.

"Actually if you look up now, it seems to have already started."

She raised her head and he was right, she just caught a glimpse of a meteor as it fell out of the night sky. Remy poured her a glass of champagne and she sipped at it leisurely, munching on strawberries in between sips. They sat quietly for a while, watching the meteor shower, when Remy took something out of his trench coat pocket.

"Have you been missing anything lately?"

"Why yes, now that I think about it, I lost my silver ring, the one I usually wear under my gloves. How did you kn..." She growled. "Swamp Rat..."

He smirked and looked down at her ring that he now held in his hand. "It's a very pretty ring, but it was just missing something." He handed it to her. "Look inside."

She tilted the ring and inside was engraved, "_Ma folie_" (my madness). Remy drew her close and whispered in her ear. "_Si l'amour est folie puis vous êtes sûrement à moi_." (If love is madness then you are surely mine.) "It must be madness _Chere_; what else could drive a thief to throw away what he is and walk the straight and narrow?" He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder. "If it is though I don't want a cure. _Joyeux anniversaire mon amour_. (Happy birthday my love)".

Rogue was overwhelmed. She didn't think she could feel any more loved than she did at this moment. "I share the same illness Remy", she whispered back, "And I don't ever want a cure." She took off her glove and placed the ring back on its usual finger, then replaced the glove. She looked down at her hand. "It's hidden like you are, but I still feel it and know it's there, just like you." She felt a tear crawl down her cheek but didn't bother to wipe it away.

Remy pulled her down gently until she was lying next to him on the blanket. "Shhhh...it won't be forever _petite_, things will turn out alright. But for right now it's just you and me, and this beautiful sky above us. Look up and enjoy."

So Rogue rested her head on Remy's chest, and they both looked up, happy to watch the sky fall.


	25. Chapter 25

AN

**AN**

**AN:** If I owned the X-men, ya da de da de da de da...sorry, had a "Fiddler on the Roof" moment there.

O-o-o-o-O

Tuesday morning dawned bright and sunny. Rogue figured it was probably very nice, but that she'd appreciate it a lot better if it occurred at a different time of day. After all this time of 6am Danger Room sessions, she still wasn't a morning person. She lay in bed trying to avoid the inevitable and contemplated her day. _First off, Danger Room. More telepathy practice with Jean. Joy._ She would give Miss Perfect credit; she was helping Rogue fine-tune her TK. That didn't mean that Rogue had to like it. Then a birthday party this afternoon. Even though turning 18 didn't mean anything to her, apparently it meant something to everyone else and so she had to suffer through cake, candles and all the rest. She'd like to blow it off, but Kitty and Kurt had put it together and were so excited about it that she hated to hurt their feelings. And a little part of her inside liked the fact that they had gone to so much trouble for her.

Tonight had her nervous though. Remy had developed the pictures he had taken last week (where, she didn't ask), so they had blueprints and a map of Magneto's lab. With his and Essex's return two days ago they could now visit it without fear of getting caught. Professor Xavier was covering for her by backing up Rogue's story that she was visiting Irene for the night. The Professor's word made it easier for her to get past Logan's watchful eye. The older mutant hadn't accused her of anything, but he seemed to keep an eye on her more than ever and she had the feeling that he was suspicious of her. Hopefully though she and Remy would get the answers they needed tonight.

The Danger Room session was going as normal. Rogue's mission today was to protect several Jamies from Bobby's snowballs by deflecting them with her mind. She was doing quite well too; she had gotten good at multi-tasking with her TK and could perform several tasks at once. Jean was standing next to her, more to observe now than to advise. Everything was going fine until the paintball session on the other side of the room got out of hand and Sam collided with one of the Jamies, creating two more and sending one of them into Jean and Rogue's direction. He hit them hard and too startled to react in time, the two girls fell on top of each other and Jean's hand landed directly on Rogue's face. Rogue screamed as she broke away and a fiery aura surrounded her body for a moment.

_She's awake_

_I'll never be cold again_

_I am the fire and the resurrection_

She shuddered and collapsed, having received a taste of a power that shocked and overwhelmed her. _Oh my god Jean, what's going on?_

The other girl lay nearby, panic in her eyes. _You can't tell anyone. Not the Professor, not Remy, not ANYBODY. I've kept your secret, now you have to keep mine._

Rogue was shocked. She didn't think anyone else had known. Too numb mentally to do anything else, she nodded her agreement.

_Not good enough Rogue; PROMISE me._

_I, I promise Jean. I won't tell anyone. But what, what's going on? What's happening to you?_

_I can't explain right now. I don't quite understand it fully myself. Everything will be clear soon. You just have to trust me. Keep my secret and I will keep yours._

_You don't have any problem with what I'm doing? With my seeing Remy?_

_He's a good man Rogue. It's obvious that he loves you. Things have changed for me Rogue; I can't see things in the same way I did before._

_I can see that. No one will hear it from me. How are you keeping this from the Professor though?_

_I am much stronger than I used to be, he will not know._

"Jean? Rogue? You girls okay?" Their conversation was broken by Logan kneeling by them, a concerned look on his face.

Rogue groaned and rolled over. "Yeah, I'll be okay. What about you Jean?"

Jean didn't bother opening her eyes. "I'll live. Wanna take a nap though."

Logan didn't look convinced. "What was with that light show you put on a minute ago Rogue?"

"I don't know Logan."

"Hmph. Jean, why are you still awake?"

"It must have been just a light touch. Can I go now? I'm pretty worn out."

He looked like he wanted to question her further but apparently decided not to push it. Instead he sighed and stood up. "Okay, why don't you two get out of here and go get some rest. You've had enough for today." He then turned to Sam, who looked like he wanted to fade into the wall. "You though, I want fifteen laps, starting now." The boy nodded fearfully and raced off.

In a rare moment of cooperation, Jean and Rogue helped each other up and headed out of the Danger Room towards their respective rooms.

"Sorry about touching you like that Jean."

"Don't be ridiculous Rogue; I'm the one who touched you. Besides, it was Sam who caused the whole thing."

"Well, thanks for not telling anyone about, you know..."

"No problem. I couldn't really give your secret away without giving up mine anyway."

"This doesn't mean I like you, you know." Rogue said, but with no malice in it.

Jean smirked. "Ditto."

Rogue napped the rest of the morning and woke up around lunchtime feeling much better. The power she had absorbed from Jean allowed her to strengthen her mental shields and so the fiery visions from earlier were but a faint memory. As much as she and Miss Perfect didn't get along, she couldn't help but be concerned. Something was not right. She had absorbed Jean before but never had she had power like this. And how long had she known about her and Remy? The old Jean wouldn't have hesitated to give a lecture about the dangers of dating the enemy. She wasn't sure if she liked this new Jean yet, but as long as she held up her end of the bargain Rogue would hold up hers.

She went downstairs to find preparations for the party underway. Rogue had to laugh as she saw black balloons floating all over the Rec room. Kitty stood in the corner, filling a bowl with chips.

"Check it out Rogue. It's like, a Goth birthday party!"

"I can see that Kitty. I never thought I'd see the day when you'd willingly buy anything black."

"Well hey, it's your birthday. I can make an exception."

The others gradually trickled in and the party got under way. Bobby had made an ice cream cake that was actually pretty tasty, if a little lopsided. The girls had all pooled together to get her a gift certificate to Hot Topic. Kurt gave her a beautiful photo album with a picture inside of him after the unfortunate Nair incident.

"Our first family album", he said with a smile. Rogue didn't know what to say so she just hugged him tightly.

"Please _liebes_", he joked, "You're messing the fur!"

Rogue's gift from the adults was the keys to a brand new Jeep, which she found parked outside. She surprised everyone by laughing happily and giving each of them a hug. She was rarely so physically demonstrative.

Rogue was overjoyed. She hadn't expected such thought to be put into her gifts. That and the joy of having her first car. She ate cake and partied with the others, then at Kitty's request took her and the other girls out for a spin in her new vehicle.

As it grew towards evening Rogue got her stuff together for her supposed sleepover at Irene's. In actuality, the Professor had agreed to allow her to stay over with Remy after they returned from investigating Magneto's lab. She was excited at finally being able to spend an entire night in Remy's arms. To spend every night in those arms would be a dream come true. Remy had given some hints that he'd like her to move in with him after he has been at the Institute for a little while but she wasn't sure if the Professor would go for that. It made sense to her though. She knew his mind and neither of them had any intention of ever leaving the other. They also slept better together than apart so they would most likely end up in each other's rooms most nights anyway. She could just imagine the discussion with Logan though. Even if the Professor did agree he'd probably want to schedule all-night Danger Room sessions with Remy so he wouldn't be able to go to bed anyway.

Rolling her eyes at the thought, she parked the Jeep at Remy's apartment and got out, locking the doors carefully. She looked around for a second, swearing she had heard something, but she saw nothing in the twilight. Shrugging it off as nothing more than maybe a stray cat or dog, she grabbed her overnight bag and went into the building. Unbeknownst to her, two pairs of eyes appeared from opposite ends of the street; one black, the other one yellow.

_He scowled as he watched her go inside. He knew the thief had been sneaking around, he could just tell, but he hadn't said anything. The sleazy rat was the boss's favorite and he didn't have proof. Now though... The runt favored this little one. It would be a distinct pleasure to rip her to shreds, maybe leave a piece or two as a gift. Then he'd bring the body back to his boss as proof of the thief's guilt and he'd get the pleasure of disposing of him. He couldn't wait._

O-o-o-o-O

Remy kissed the top of her head as she came in the door. "Happy Birthday _Chere_."

Rogue gave him a hug and grinned. "Why thank you Remy. Wait until you see what I got for a present." She pulled him over to the window and pointed to the Jeep parked outside. He whistled.

"Very nice. I think I'm jealous."

"Well if you're nice to me I just might take you for a ride in it some time."

He smirked and whispered in her ear. "What if that's not the kind of ride I want?"

She smacked his arm and moved into the kitchen to get a glass of water. "You perv. Can't you ever get your mind out of the gutter?" She did keep a little smile on her face though to let him know that she wasn't really mad.

"Why would I want to do that when I have such lovely company there?"

"Hey, I'm not a perv like some people around here, Cajun."

Remy leaned against the kitchen entryway and smirked. "Could have fooled me."

Rogue rolled her eyes as she sat down at the table. "So how far away is this lab, anyway?"

"About ten miles outside of town. Quiet location, from the map it seems to be near an industrial complex."

"Nice place if you don't want anyone to know what you're up to."

"That's what I was thinking too. Magneto still hasn't said what we're doing, just that it's happening this weekend, so we've got to move fast."

"So we get in, dig up what we can, get out, come back here, then go to the Professor with what we find out in the morning."

"Right. And have an entire night to ourselves in the meantime." This was said with a little smile on Remy's face.

"Well we don't get to have that until we get our work done so we might as well get going, eh Swamp Rat?"

"You have a point. I want plenty of time to have you to myself. Let's get out of here." Remy grabbed his trench coat and nearly yanked her out the door. Rogue laughed as she followed with the blueprints.

"Let's take the bike. We can go faster."

"You just want an excuse for me to hold onto you."

"_Oui_, that too."

Rogue laughed as they left the apartment building. She decided not to put up a fight, since she loved riding behind him on the motorcycle with her arms wrapped around him. Any excuse to hold him was a good excuse in her book.

They were just passing an alley on the way to where the bike was parked when Remy pushed her out of the way just in time to avoid the large hairy figure that came charging out of the alley. Snarling in annoyance, he turned and faced Remy.

"You're dead, Cajun."

Remy had his staff out in an instant. "What you doing Sabby? Mags send you here?"

The feral mutant grinned evilly and stalked towards Remy. "No. He doesn't know you've gone and turned on him yet. But I do. And as soon as I bring him your little girlfriend's body then he'll know too." He lunged at the thief but was repelled. "I've been wanting to do this for a long time."

"The feeling's mutual, _homme_. Usually I don't believe in cruelty to animals, but in this case I'll make an exception." He dodged another attack then threw several charged cards at Sabertooth, which dazed him for a moment but didn't do any serious damage.

Rogue assisted by firing optic blasts at him but they didn't do much better than Remy's cards. Sabertooth's healing factor worked fast enough to keep him going. He turned to Rogue and grinned.

"Hang on frail. I'll get to you in a minute."

Remy eventually ran out of cards and resorted to fighting with his staff, which didn't do much good against the powerful mutant. Sabertooth grabbed the staff away from Remy and slammed him against a wall, knocking him unconscious.

"NO!!" Rogue screamed. She ripped a glove off her hand and was going to jump Sabertooth when he turned and grabbed her by the arm, lifting her into the air. She swung helplessly, punching and kicking at him.

He laughed. "Not so dangerous now, are you little girl? This is gonna be fun. I wonder what the runt will say when he finds pieces of you on the doorstep in the morning?" He slapped the side of her head with his free hand and she saw stars. He dropped her to the ground and gave her a vicious kick to the side, laughing when she screamed. Rogue swore she felt at least one or two ribs crack.

"Get the FUCK away from my daughter."

It was the coldest voice she had ever heard her mother speak in. It caused a little chill down her spine and through her pain, she vaguely found herself thinking that she was glad it wasn't her that was being spoken to that way.

Mystique stood on the sidewalk near Remy's comatose body, a deadly look in her eyes.

Sabertooth looked up and smirked. "Fuck off Raven; I don't play with Magneto's used toys."

"Well maybe you'll play with this." With that she changed into the form of Wolverine, claws extended. "Come and get it, bub."

Sabertooth snarled and charged at Mystique; apparently he couldn't resist fighting even the illusion of his nemesis. The battle was ugly. Mystique didn't have Logan's adamantium claws but she still packed a punch. The two mutants punched, slashed, bit, clawed, and kicked every body part they could reach. Blood oozed from all over their bodies. Panting, they circled each other, grinning, then leaped at each other again.

Remy slowly came to and found himself lying with his head in Rogue's lap. She had by then accessed her healing power absorbed from Sabertooth in the past but was tired from the multiple power use and so sat resting.

"Um, Rogue, I'm thinking maybe we should get out of here?"

"No, I need to make sure she'll be okay."

"She?"

"That's Mystique posing as Logan."

"Oh. I thought you didn't like her."

"I don't, but she's still mine and Kurt's mother, and if anything happened to her it would break Kurt's heart."

"What about your heart, Rogue"

"I, I don't know. I'm still pretty angry with her. I haven't had a chance to get past that yet."

The battle was getting grim. Mystique had gotten in several good hits but she just was no match for Sabertooth's combined strength and healing factor. Severely weakened, she could do nothing when he sunk his claws into her chest. Clutching herself in shock, she shifted back to her natural form and sunk to the ground, blood pouring out of the wounds. He grinned and started to leave, needing to rest and heal from his own wounds.

Remy saw this and panicked. "Rogue, he knows! Wipe his mind, quickly!"

She saw him leaving and froze him with her mind just long enough to clear his memories of what he knew of her and Remy. All Sabertooth knew now was that he had gotten into a fight with Logan tonight for some unknown reason; not that he ever needed a reason to fight with Logan.

After he left, she got up and raced to her mother's prone body on the ground. Blood still flowed freely from the stab wounds in her chest and the various other wounds from the fight. She was getting weaker by the moment and Rogue didn't know what to do. She knew she couldn't take Raven to a hospital; doctors hadn't been known to treat mutants very well lately. She sighed inwardly. There was no other choice. She'd have to take her to the Institute.

"Remy, we have to take her to the mansion."

Raven stirred. "No...take me...Irene..."

"What? No, you need help, you're bleeding."

"Trust me, Rogue...she'll help..."

Rogue sighed. "Alright. Where do we go?"

Raven gave them an address and Remy drove them there as fast as he could in Rogue's Jeep, breaking several traffic laws in the process. The address turned out to be a small, comfortable-looking house not too far from the Brotherhood house, with a picket fence and pretty yard. The front door opened when they pulled up and Irene stepped out, a frantic look on her face.

"Bring her in, quickly!"

Rogue was surprised. "How did you...oh, never mind, I forgot..."

Remy carried Raven inside and they were surprised to find Agatha Harkness inside with Irene. She took charge and directed Remy to lay Raven on a bed on the first floor. She immediately started trying to stop the blood flow and clean the wounds, but it soon became obvious that Raven had lost too much blood and she wasn't going too make it. Mystique had a rare blood type and there were no supplies nearby. All Agatha could do now was make her comfortable and ease her pain.

Agatha made the others leave the room and closed the door behind her, leaving Rogue and Raven alone. Irene had shared a few whispered words with her partner just before leaving. Rogue sat in a chair next to her mother's bed, not sure what to say. She had been betrayed by this woman repeatedly, had just found out that she was her mother; she hadn't even had a chance to finish being angry with her and now she was being taken away from her. She wasn't sure if she loved her, wasn't sure if she even liked her. She was sorry though. Sorry that they wouldn't be given a chance to forgive and forget, and see if they could be mother and daughter.

"Rogue..." Raven's whisper was weak, nothing like her normally strong voice.

"What is it?" She tried not to be pitying, but not to be hateful either.

"I'm so sorry...you and Kurt...such beautiful children...deserved better...tell him...I'm sorry..."

"I'll tell him, I promise. His parents love him though; he had a good life with them. Just as I did with Irene."

"Forgive me, please...didn't want to hurt you...love you...my little Rogue..."

Raven closed her eyes and didn't open them again.


	26. Chapter 26

O-o-o-o-O  
  
Rogue was numb. She had never watched a person die before. And the fact that the person in question was her mother didn't help things. When did everything get so complicated? It was supposed to be so easy. She and Remy would find out what Magneto was up to and tell the Professor. Then they and the rest of the X-Men would come in and save the day, Remy would be accepted on the team and they'd be together. Maybe not happily ever after; but a happier one than she had contemplated before meeting him. It wasn't supposed to go this way. They weren't supposed to get caught, and Mystique certainly wasn't supposed to be killed trying to save her.  
  
Dead. Mystique was dead. She felt cold and shaky, looking at the now lifeless body lying on the bed. In death Mystique didn't look nearly as menacing as she did in life, and Rogue found herself feeling a great sorrow. Not for the loss of her mother, since she hadn't really had a chance to know Raven as anything other than an enemy, but for lost opportunities. Raven's last words had been a plea for forgiveness, and now Rogue could never give it to her. No chances now to see if she had genuine in her remorse, to see if anything could be between them other than enmity. And Kurt........oh god, what was she going to tell Kurt? Despite his declarations that they didn't need Raven, she knew that he was hoping for an opportunity to talk to her, find out more about his past. There was yet another chance gone.  
  
Rogue stood up slowly and started for the door. She couldn't fall apart now. The others were waiting outside for her, and she still had to tell the Professor what had happened. She didn't even notice the tears forming in her eyes.  
  
O-o-o-o-O  
  
Remy waited in the living room with Irene and Agatha, not sure what to say. He remembered Agatha as the Scarlet Witch's mentor, but he had never met Rogue's guardian before. Destiny looked awfully composed for someone whose lover and partner was dying, but then he supposed it wasn't such a shock to her. What must that be like, being able to see the future? He imagined she must not be able to do much with her visions, from fear of affecting what happens. He wasn't sure if he could stand something like that.  
  
He went back over the evening's events, trying to figure out what went wrong. How the hell had Sabertooth found them out? The only thing he could think of was that he must not have been as careful as he thought and the other man had smelled Rogue on him and gotten suspicious. The damn man was like an animal, sniffing and snarling his way around most of the time. He wished Mystique had killed him, or that he had gotten in a few more hits himself before getting knocked out. It was okay now though; Rogue had wiped Sabertooth's mind and Essex wouldn't be able to find out what had happened. He glanced up at the closed bedroom door. No, he was wrong. It wasn't okay; Rogue's mother had died defending them and things were anything but okay. The pain he felt coming from the other room told him that the woman had to be dead. He didn't like using his empathy very often; it was difficult to deal with other people's emotions, but he was worried about Rogue and wanted to keep an eye on her, so to speak. Rogue hadn't known about her true relationship with the shapeshifter for very long and was still angry about Mystique's actions in the past, but family was family.  
  
Remy heard the turning of the knob and gave his attention to the door as Rogue opened. She was whiter than usual, if that was possible, and looked like she was in shock. She stepped into the living room and said in a shaky voice, "She's gone."  
  
Irene took a step towards her but Remy was faster and gathered Rogue in his arms, holding her close as tears fell down her face. He made soothing noises as she sobbed and his heart ached, wanting to say something to take her pain away but know that words were useless in times like these.  
  
"She's dead Remy. Why did she have to follow me? It wasn't supposed to be like this, she's not supposed to be dead." Her words were choked and muffled, from tears and her face being buried in his trench coat.  
  
Remy sighed. "My guess is, she wanted to look out for you. Mothers do that." He kissed the top of her head and stroked her back slowly, trying to comfort her.  
  
"But I never got a chance to let her be my mother, I was still angry with her. And now I never will.........." Her voice dissolved into tears and she buried her face further into his chest.  
  
Irene approached and laid a hand on Rogue's shoulder. "I'm so sorry Rogue. I've known Raven for many years, and she wouldn't want you to cry over her. Now is not the time to grieve. The night is not getting any younger, and the two of you have places to go."  
  
Rogue sniffed and lifted her head. Remy took a handkerchief from one of his many coat pockets and wiped her eyes. She gave him a weak smile and turned to Irene.  
  
"I don't know if I'm going to be able to get used to the idea of you seeing the future, Irene. Although it does explain a few things, when I was growing up. We can't go yet though. We need to tell the Professor what's happened, and Kurt." She sighed. "Oh man, what am I going to tell him?"  
  
The older woman shook her head. "I will call Charles and inform him. He will probably agree with me that an abbreviated form of the truth can be given out to the others. No one else needs to know of your and Remy's involvement in this. Leave Raven here; Agatha and I shall take care of things from this point, but now you need to go."  
  
Rogue pulled herself away from Remy's arms and gave Irene a hug. "I'm so sorry Irene. I didn't come to see you; I was so angry, I just couldn't."  
  
"I know dear, I know. And I'm sorry too, that things had to go the way they did."  
  
Remy looked at the two, and saw, and _felt_, that regardless of what her and Mystique's motives had been in taking in the child, that Destiny truly loved the girl. And he felt better, knowing that despite Raven's death, Rogue still had a mother to care about her.  
  
The blind woman turned to him, and he could have sworn she was looking right at him. "I don't think I need to tell you to look after my daughter, Mr. LeBeau, but I would be remiss in my duties if I didn't. So please, take care of her. I would hate for Raven's sacrifice to be in vain."  
  
"J'aime la fille.(I love the girl) I'd rather die than have anything happen to her."  
  
Rogue dried the last of the tears from her eyes and looked at them. "You people really need to stop talking about me like I'm not here."  
  
Irene gave a sad smile. "I'm sorry Rogue. Now please, you really should go now. Agatha and I will take care of Raven."  
  
Rogue sighed and gave Irene one last hug before turning to go. As she left, Remy took Irene's hand and kissed it, murmuring softly, "Merci d'elever une fille si merveilleuse. (Thank you for raising such a wonderful girl)"  
  
Irene's lips twitched in a smile. "You're most welcome Mr. LeBeau. Now off with you." He gave a little bow of respect to Agatha and went out the door.  
  
O-o-o-o-O  
  
Professor Xavier was in his bed reading, when the phone rang. He never in a million years would have expected a call from the person on the other end of the line.  
  
"Charles Xavier, this is Irene Adler. I have some disturbing news. Rogue is alright, but there has been an incident tonight..........."  
  
He saw the images flooding Irene's mind and gasped. "Oh dear god."  
  
O-o-o-o-O  
  
They took Rogue's Jeep to the lab, Remy driving as Rogue didn't feel quite up to taking the wheel. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the seat, allowing the night wind to send her hair in every direction and cool her tearstained cheeks. It seemed like forever since she had had her birthday party, had received her presents. Well this was one birthday she certainly would not forget any time soon.  
  
She looked at Remy. "How's your head feeling?"  
  
"Like I lost a fight with a brick wall. I'll be okay though. What about you?"  
  
"Thankfully I was able to use Sabertooth's healing power. I think he had cracked a couple of ribs."  
  
Remy snarled. "That bastard. I'll get him Cherie, I promise."  
  
"WE'LL get him, Remy. That was my mother he killed."  
  
"We'll get him then. He will pay for this though."  
  
According to the blueprints Remy had photographed back in Magneto's office, there were guard posts at each of the entrances to the lab. They parked the Jeep out of sight at the nearby industrial complex and moved silently back their destination. The guards looked like soldiers, and wanting to go as unnoticed as possible, the two went around to a shadowy side of the building, where Rogue phased them through the wall. They were now in what looked like an examining room; there were a couple of beds set up, along with various pieces of unknown equipment scattered throughout the room.  
  
"How did Magneto ever get humans to work for him?", Rogue asked in a low voice.  
  
"He doesn't always go around in that cape and bucket. He can look quite normal when he wants to. I doubt those guards know what this place is for or who they're really working for." Remy took out the copy of the blueprints. "Okay, looks like the office we want is down here." He pointed to a room on the paper.  
  
"Let's go then." Rogue phased her head through the door and checked out the hallway. "Coast is clear." She pulled Remy the rest of the way through the door with her.  
  
He shook his head. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that", he whispered. Rogue gave him a little smirk and they went down the hall.  
  
They found the office they wanted easily and Remy picked the lock. Looking around for a few minutes, they found some papers in a drawer of the desk and Rogue skimmed through them.  
  
"Remy, it looks like Essex wants to take the Morlocks and experiment on them, play with their powers and make them stronger. At the same time, he'd wipe their minds and Magneto could use them for whatever he wanted."  
  
"Who are the Morlocks?"  
  
"They're this group of mutants that live in the sewers. They have outward mutations that make it hard for them to get along in 'normal' society, and so they prefer to stay below ground. Evan joined them a while back because his mutation was getting out of control and he didn't feel comfortable staying at the Institute any longer. Oh god, Storm's going to flip out if anything happens to him. He's her nephew."  
  
"That's why we're here Rogue, to make sure nothing does happen." He took pictures of the files and put them back where they were. They then shut the office door and went back the way they came. Once outside the building, Rogue teleported them back to the Jeep and they headed for Remy's place.  
  
She had a feeling of foreboding now, ever since they had been caught by Sabertooth. She couldn't say things were going too well, not with what had happened earlier that night, but it had been quite easy to get in and out of that place. She had thought things were going well before, too, and look what had happened.  
  
"Call me paranoid Remy, but wasn't that almost too easy?"  
  
"Maybe you're right, but then Mags doesn't have any guests staying there yet. Not much we can do about it now though. I'll get these developed in the morning, then you can take them to Xavier and we'll go from there. We'll be okay."  
  
She wanted to snap at him, to ask him how he could promise that when Mystique was lying dead back at Irene's house, but it wasn't his fault. No one forced her mother to follow her to Remy's place. Instead she just sighed and looked out the window, watching the night pass them by.  
  
"Do you think I should go back? I mean everyone thinks I'm at Irene's and they'll think it strange if I don't come straight back when she calls the Professor about Mystique."  
  
"Do you want to go back?"  
  
"No. I don't think I could face anyone right now, having to lie to them. Please can I still stay with you? I don't think I can stand to sleep alone tonight."  
  
Remy took one gloved hand off the wheel and ran it across her cheek. "You'll stay with me then. You can tell everyone you were upset and wanted to stay with Destiny, I'm sure she'll back you up."  
  
Rogue nodded and closed her eyes, remaining quiet for the rest of the trip.  
  
They went upstairs to his apartment silently, the happy mood that the evening had started with gone. After she had washed her face and changed into pajamas, he covered her with the cotton sheet on his bed then laid on top of the sheet next to her, wrapping her up in his arms.  
  
"This is nice", he whispered in the dark.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I wish I could fall asleep with you every night."  
  
"Me too."  
  
"Will you be okay, Cherie?"  
  
"I don't know yet Remy. I'm still a little in shock I think." She rested her head against his chest, his skin protected from her powers by the sheet. "Thank you for being my pillow."  
  
"Je t'aime Rogue. I'll be whatever you need. Sleep now."  
  
And they both did.  
  
O-o-o-o-O  
  
Responses:  
  
Fissie: Rogue/Scott? You say that like it's a bad thing. LOL.  
  
Dreamschemer: I know, the three of them between them should have taken him down, but that's one of the sacrifices we make for plot. There will be vengeance though.  
  
Melissarxy1: Yep, she sure is. And Mystique is quite dead. Almost sad? I thought it was very sad.  
  
Evosmylife: Raven's secret? I'm not sure what you mean. (I do agree with you that I'm evil though)  
  
Kitsune Moonstar: Yep, Raven's dead. You don't get any deader than she is. I love Fiddler too.  
  
Misa1124: It was going to be Sabertooth to die at first, but then I remembered that he was still alive at the beginning of the story so I couldn't kill him off. It shouldn't surprise you that it was him to catch on; his nose is as good as Logan's and it's easy to slip and not be as careful as you should be.  
  
Ishy: No comments on your predictions as I haven't quite decided on everything I'll do with the Phoenix yet. I can easily picture Logan having kittens at the news of Rogue and Remy moving in together, can't you? Of course you didn't expect Mystique to die. Haven't you learned by now to expect the unexpected from me? And never fear, Creed will get his............  
  
Krac: Cajun Hormone? snickers> > I know you've resigned yourself, but I still consider your work very unappreciated, especially being the Angst Fairy that you are. Glad you liked the chapter.  
  
Calliann: You're sad Mystique's dead? Hell, I'm sad Mystique's dead and I'm the one that killed her. Just something that needed doing though.  
  
RoguesHeart: Thanks for the translation.  
  
Keebler-elmo: A more powerful Remy? I can't make any promises but with Essex around anything is possible.  
  
IloveLogan: Awww...thanks. I'm blushing. I happen to love "Common Misconception", by the way.  
  
Nuit: Sorry dearie, but Raven is dead. There is a freaky firebird in Jean's future, but whether it is dark or not remains to be seen.  
  
Loselen Snowstar: Fiddler is awesome, isn't it? Yep, I killed her. Aren't I awful? Can't promise that will be the end of the dying either. 


	27. Chapter 27

AN: I own nothing and no one portrayed here. Actually I don't own much at all except two cats, a Kia and this lovely iBook that I'm typing on. Long live Apple.  
  
O-o-o-o-O  
  
Remy woke with the dawn and entertained himself by admiring the way the sun shone on Rogue's hair. He loved the way she looked so relaxed as she slept, and even more that he was one of the few people that got to see her this way. He had slept so well last night, like he hadn't slept in a long time; he wanted to wake up every morning this way, but he figured he could do that soon enough, if everything went well. For now though he would just enjoy the time he had, and let the future take care of itself. He took his right index finger and placed it near her face, close enough to her skin that he could feel the heat of her body but still not be touching, and ever so carefully traced the curve of her cheek. Rogue began to stir and he quickly took his finger away. She opened a sleepy eye and gazed at him.  
  
"Remy what are you doing?"  
  
He gave her an innocent look. "Moi? I'm doing nothing, Cherie."  
  
She snorted softly. "Don't give me that innocent look. Every time you do that it means you're up to something."  
  
Remy relaxed on the pillow and looked at her fondly. "Perhaps I was just wondering how I got lucky enough to wake up to such a beautiful fille in my bed."  
  
Rogue lifted up one corner of her mouth in a smile and gave a little laugh. "You're too much sometimes, Swamp Rat."  
  
"I doubt I could ever be too much for you to handle though Cherie", he said, and dropped a kiss on her hair before climbing out of bed.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"I need to get that film developed from last night. Why don't you go back to sleep? I'll only be gone about an hour or two."  
  
"I will, but I need to call the Professor first and find out what he's telling the others about last night. It would be good if our stories matched."  
  
"Hmm......good point." Remy went in the bathroom and he could hear her faintly talking in the other room as he shaved. By the time he came back out and got dressed she was off the phone already.  
  
"Well, what did he say?"  
  
"He was getting ready to talk to the others. He's basically just going to say that she died in a fight with Sabertooth and that Irene had called him with the info. He won't tell them about either of us being there, of course. He said I could come back to the mansion whenever I was ready to."  
  
"Okay, good. Now you get some rest Cherie, and I will be back before you know it." Remy gave her a hug and watched her crawl back under before heading out the door.  
  
O-o-o-o-O  
  
Charles Xavier sat back in his wheelchair with his eyes closed, having called Kurt to his office a minute or two ago. _Duties like this are never easy; I don't think it would seem right if they were though. _  
  
A moment later the blue teleporter bamfed into his office in a puff of smoke. "Yes Professor, you wanted to see me?"  
  
"Please Kurt, have a seat."  
  
"Okay." He shrugged and sat down.  
  
_ Such a good natured boy._ He hated having to do this.  
  
"Unfortunately I have some bad news. Irene Adler called me last night. I don't know all the details, but apparently your mother Raven was in a fight with Sabertooth and didn't survive her injuries. I'm very sorry Kurt."  
  
Kurt just sat there for a moment, staring at him in shock. "What......you........this isn't some joke, right?........no, you don't joke........" He covered his face with his hands for a second then looked up again. "Irene. That's Rogue's guardian, right? Where's my sister?"  
  
"She's alright, but she was understandably upset about this and wanted to stay with Miss Adler a while longer. She will be back here later today."  
  
Kurt nodded numbly, then stood up. "Professor, thank you for telling me. I think I'd like to go to my room now."  
  
"I understand Kurt. Go ahead. I'm going to make an announcement to the rest of the students now, but I wanted to give you the news privately first."  
  
"Thank you." He nodded again and bamfed out of the room.  
  
_ I'm so sorry Kurt; I wish I could tell you everything. Would you be proud of your mother, that her final act was to save your sister?_ Xavier sighed and sent a telepathic message to everyone in the mansion.  
  
_Everyone please report to my office for an announcement_  
  
O-o-o-o-O  
  
Kurt sat on his bed, trying to digest the news he had just heard. His mother was dead. No, his mother was alive and well in Germany, but the woman who had given birth to him was dead. He had never really known Raven Darkholme, but he had hoped for an opportunity to get to know her. Ever since Rogue's nightmares, he had hoped that Raven would be able to answer the questions he had about his past. Had he been born this way? Had he been experimented on? What really happened on that bridge? Did she miss him? Like every adopted child, he needed to know if she had truly wanted him or if he was only a mistake. His parents in Germany loved him deeply and he loved them, but these questions had always lain deep inside and now they would never be answered.  
  
Ever the optimist, he had also hoped that by connecting with Raven as family he and Rogue might help her see the error of her ways. He believed that everyone had some good in them; it just took some people longer than others to bring it out. But it was too late now.  
  
Months ago, if someone had told him that he would be crying over the death of Mystique, he would have said they were crazy. But not anymore. Before too long had passed, the fur around his eyes was damp and his nose felt like it was going to run. Why was he crying? It wasn't like she was really his mother; she hadn't been around for him, or raised him or anything. She had been his enemy; he hadn't even liked her. He had wanted a chance to like her though, he realized. To see beyond Mystique and find out who Raven Darkholme was. The woman who had given birth to a blue elf and adopted a little girl in Mississippi. Could he have grown to love her, consider her a mother? He wanted to think so.  
  
Unable to do anything else, he lay back on the pillow and abandoned himself to his tears.  
  
O-o-o-o-O  
  
Rogue woke a couple of hours later to a whisper in her ear. "Wakey wakey Roguey" She stirred and swatted at the face near her ear.  
  
"mmmph......go away."  
  
"Non.......you've slept enough Cherie. Time to get up now. Besides, I have breakfast for you. Yummy bagels and cream cheese."  
  
"mmmmmm........I'm up, I'm up........" Rogue smiled and opened her eyes. She was a sucker for bagels and cream cheese. She sat up and looked around. "So where is it?"  
  
"In the kitchen of course. I don't want crumbs in my bed."  
  
"Spoilsport." She pouted then climbed out of bed and made her way to the kitchen to feast on her treat. She bit into the bagel with a happy sigh and heard a laugh from the doorway. "What's so funny, Swamp Rat?"  
  
"You, Cherie. You're so easy to please."  
  
"Hmm....maybe I should make it a little harder on you then.", she said with a smirk.  
  
"Non, I love you just the way you are."  
  
"Isn't that a song?"  
  
"Oui, a rather bad one too, if I remember correctly.", he said with a shudder.  
  
She laughed and finished her bagel. "Well, I suppose I should get back to the mansion. They're probably wondering where I am." She sobered with this line of thinking.  
  
He nodded. "I've gotten the film developed and ready for you to take to Xavier." He held up an envelope that had been lying on the counter.  
  
She went into the bedroom and got dressed, then returned a few minutes later with her overnight bag packed. She took the envelope from Remy and tucked it into her bag, then gave him a hug. "I'll talk to you later."  
  
Remy kissed the side of her head through her hair. "Je t'aime Rogue."  
  
"Je t'aime aussi Remy."  
  
When she got back to the mansion she didn't really feel like running into anyone so she bamfed straight into the Professor's office. Thankfully he was alone.  
  
"Hey Professor."  
  
"Hello Rogue. You know, you're getting almost as bad as Kurt is about not knocking." He said with a hint of a smile.  
  
"Sorry about that", she replied, a little sheepishly. "I didn't feel like bumping into anyone though. Have you already told everyone what happened?"  
  
"Yes. Sadly I think the attitude was more 'good riddance' than anything else."  
  
"How is Kurt?"  
  
"I think he's a little in shock. Last I knew he was in his room. You may want to go talk to him."  
  
Rogue nodded. "I'll do that. Remy and I were able to get info at that lab last night. You'll want to see this." She took out the envelope from her overnight bag and gave it to the Professor. He took a few minutes to read over the info, and shook his head sadly. "Erik, what on earth are you trying to do?" he said to himself. He looked at Rogue. "With Sabertooth having been suspicious of Remy, there's always the possibility that Essex read his mind. He could be scanning us. I can't take the risk of letting the others know what's going on until the last minute. The same goes for warning the Morlocks; unfortunately none of them are telepaths. At least we know what we're up against now. I want to thank you Rogue; you and Remy have done an excellent job so far."  
  
"Thanks Professor. I can't help but worry though. I just have a feeling that something's going to go wrong."  
  
"I have the utmost faith that whatever happens, you will be able to handle it. Why don't you go on and see your brother now?"  
  
"Okay, I'll do that. Bye Professor." With that she bamfed out of Xavier's office and into Kurt's room. She waved her hand in front of her face, trying to clear away the smoke. _ Blech, I don't know how he does this on a regular basis._ Kurt was lying on his bed. It looked like he had been crying. He didn't even look up at the sound of her entrance.  
  
"Kurt?" He didn't move.  
  
She tried again. "Come on Fuzzy, talk to me." She sat down on the bed next to him, and laid a hand on his shoulder. This time he looked at her, and she could see the tears in his eyes.  
  
"Is......is she really.....gone, Rogue?"  
  
Rogue sighed. "Yes, she is. I was there at Irene's with her when it happened. She....she told me she loved us, and that she was sorry. She wanted to make sure that I told you."  
  
"Oh. I hoped maybe it was some kind of mistake, but since you were there........"  
  
"No, no mistake. I only wish it was. I'm so sorry Kurt." She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. He kissed her hair and hugged her back.  
  
"What do we do now, sister?"  
  
"Irene and I made up, so I still have her; you still have your parents in Germany, and we still have each other. You were right before; we can be family without her, just the two of us. She made us family, and we can always be thankful to her for that, but we need to go on now."  
  
"What will be done for services?"  
  
"I'm not sure. Irene is executor of Raven's estate, I'd have to ask her what she has planned."  
  
"Maybe we could ask the Professor to have her buried at the Institute?"  
  
"That's not a bad idea. We could talk to him later and see what he says." By this time Rogue had moved into a sitting position and had Kurt's head in her lap. He was starting to sound a little sleepy. "You sound tired Kurt. Do you want to take a nap?"  
  
"Yah, that sounds good. I don't want to move though. Will you stay with me?"  
  
Rogue smiled. "Yeah, I can do that." She adjusted herself so she was more comfortable. "Sleep well Kurt."  
  
"You too sister."  
  
O-o-o-o-O  
  
Essex was reviewing the security cameras of the lab from the night before. Erik didn't consider it an issue since the building was not in use yet, but Essex believed that one could never be too careful. He made a habit of scanning the Acolytes and ever since Creed had started being suspicious of LeBeau he had paid more attention to the security cameras, waiting for the inevitable. And there it was.  
  
Right through a wall walked LeBeau and a young woman that Essex recognized from Erik's files as being one of the X-Men. Power thief, if he remembered correctly. Such an interesting ability, so many uses it could put to. Yes, she'd be a nice toy to play with, but LeBeau was the main one he wanted. He'd been annoyed when the young man had turned down his offer years ago, and now fate was dropping him right into his lap. Erik had given him free reign to do as he wanted with the Morlocks, as long as he got stronger soldiers as a result; he never said he couldn't tinker with the Acolytes. Essex had plans for young LeBeau, oh yes he did.  
  
O-o-o-o-O  
  
Responses:  
  
Krac: Thanks, but you'll always be the Angst Fairy to me. Hey why not let humans do the grunt work and protect his plot to take over humanity. Who says the Master of Magnetism doesn't have a sense of humor?  
  
Evosmylife: Nah, there wasn't a big secret there, she was just trying to talk to her and be forgiven. I love making my readers paranoid. Bwahahahahahaa.  
  
Shockgoddess: I'm sorry I forgot you. Can you forgive me? > You know that feeling you got? You just might be right.  
  
Nuit: Regarding Phoenix, in the comics, yes she does become Phoenix first, then dark phoenix. But since this is fan fiction, anything is possible and I tend to get into evil moods sometimes. You'll have to wait and see what happens.  
  
Ishy: Yep, dead Mystique. Despite the fact that I killed her, I do actually like Mystique. She is fun. Well, you've just seen what occurred regarding cameras. It wasn't Mags they had to worry about....heh heh heh......  
  
Calliann: Of COURSE it was too easy for them to get in and out of the lab for a reason. Essex is such an evil bastard. Bwhwhahahahaha.  
  
Lady Farevay: Thanks for the review but Rogue didn't really forgive Mystique though. She was just sad because now she wouldn't have a chance to get over her anger and forgive her. To everyone else: thank you for your reviews. I'm sorry about the delay in posting; I was dealing with a bit of writer's block, but I'm better now. 


	28. Chapter 28

AN

AN: Just to lay to rest some fears that people seem to have, I have no intentions of copying the Morlock Massacre. Magneto's plans here are to capture, not to kill.

O-o-o-o-O

Friday morning was clear and quiet. A normally empty corner of Ororo Munroe's garden was now full of people. The members of Xavier's Institute gathered together dressed in their best as they laid to rest one who had been an enemy. A simple marble headstone marked the grave of Raven Darkholme, also known as Mystique. Professor Xavier sat in his wheelchair near her grave as he spoke of the sorrow she had known in her childhood and how it had driven her to want change for mutants.

"Though she cannot be here now to see the change she wanted", he continued, "she may be glad to know that her children continue to fight for that change, along with the rest of us here."

He finished his eulogy and offered a chance for anyone else to speak. Not surprisingly, no one else spoke up. The Brotherhood was there, but Rogue didn't think they'd have anything nice to say about their former leader. She was standing next to Kurt, with Irene on her other side, one gloved hand with hers. She was glad that Irene had agreed to allow Raven to be buried here at the Institute. The Professor had readily agreed too, and had made the arrangements very quickly. She was a little surprised that everyone at the mansion was here, but then she guessed she shouldn't be. The Professor had said that he wouldn't force anyone to attend, but that it was a gesture of respect to Rogue and Kurt and he would be disappointed if anyone didn't show up. Even Magneto and the Acolytes were here. That one had surprised Rogue; she had thought that Raven and Mags were on the outs with each other. She supposed though that the fact that they had worked together in the past would outweigh their current enmity. And maybe he wanted to make sure that she was really dead, she thought bitterly.

The only ones that weren't there were Essex and Sabertooth; and she was very thankful for that. One, because she couldn't look at the hairy mutant without recalling her mother dying in front of her, and two, they really didn't need a fight between him and Logan breaking out in the middle of the funeral.

Remy was on the other side of the crowd and it was so hard not to look at him. She could tap into his empathy though and she felt him; sorrow and love and longing for her, and it made her just want to run over to where he was and hug him tightly. He had been supportive of her through all of this; she just wished there was something she could do for him in return, but she supposed she'd have a quite awhile when everything was finished with to think of something to do for him.

Rogue shook herself out of her reverie and noticed that people were starting to walk away. She released Irene's hand and took the small bouquet of white roses that she had in her free hand and laid them on Raven's grave. She then went back to Irene and started to escort her back to the mansion. She glanced briefly in Remy's direction and saw him give her a tiny smile and a wink as he headed towards the metal pinballs he and the other Acolytes and taken to get here. She heard the mental voice in her head. _I'm sorry for your mere Chere, I'd hold you right now if I could._

_Merci, Remy._

_You busy tonight?_

_No, why?_

_Come dancing with me._

_Are you crazy? You're about to kidnap the Morlocks tomorrow._

_So? All the more reason to get out. I want to see you again. I haven't held you since Wednesday morning and it's driving me crazy._

_Okay, okay. Hang on, let me ask the Professor._

_Professor, can I go out with Remy tonight?_

_Is this business related?_

_Well, no, but if things don't go well tomorrow it might be my last chance to see him....._

_Alright, you can go._

_Thanks Professor!_

_Remy, he said I can go. I'll see you tonight._

_Bon. Je t'aime Chere._

_Love you too Remy._

The telepathy faded and she watched the rest of the Acolytes leave. She knew the Professor had asked Magneto and the others to stay after the service for refreshments, but he had declined. _Probably need to finish plotting with your little mad scientist._ she thought to herself. Knowing what she knew about what he and Essex were going to do tomorrow, it was hard for her to keep her mouth shut around the Master of Magnetism today. Professor Xavier seemed to sense that though and placed her and the Acolytes on opposite sides of the crowd so they wouldn't run into each other.

A BAMF sounded next to her and Kurt was at her side. "Are you okay, _liebes_? You look a little out of it."

"I'm okay. I guess I'm a little surprised to see Magneto here, is all."

Irene smiled a little. "It may surprise you, but Erik and Raven were friends, once upon a time, along with Charles. Despite whatever else happened between them, I think it is that friendship he comes to mourn today."

Kurt stared at her a moment. "You're right Miss Adler, that does surprise me."

"Please Kurt, call me Irene. Rogue's told me so much about you, I feel like I know you already. You have your mother's beauty."

Kurt blushed, then looked startled. "How..........?"

Rogue chuckled. "It's taken me awhile to get used to her being able to see the future too."

"_Danke_, Irene. No one's ever called me beautiful before." Rogue could tell that her brother was truly touched.

"Well they should, young man. You are something quite rare." She turned her head. "Rogue, if I may have a moment to pay my respects to Raven?"

"Yes, of course Irene." The woman nodded and somehow unerringly found her way to the grave, where she stood quietly.

"They were very close to each other, _jah_?"

Rogue nodded, but didn't say anything. She knew from Remy that Irene and her mother had been more than friends for many years now. From the grief she felt from Irene, she understood now that they had been partners in every way possible. She wasn't used to such relationships but her foster mother was hurting and that was all that mattered.

Irene spoke quietly for a couple of minutes then made her way back to them. "Are you ready to go back now Irene?" Rogue asked.

"Yes, please. Let's go."

The three of them made their way back to the mansion where the others were already partaking of refreshments in the formal dining room. The Brotherhood was actually behaving themselves for once; Toad had taken a bath for the occasion, and was wandering around the room nibbling at various dishes under Storm's watchful eye. Scott and Lance were having a glaring match; the latter hadn't stopped trying to get Kitty back ever since she had started dating Kurt. She was currently sitting on one side of the room with Jean, looking like she wanted to avoid the boys. Amara, Jubilee and Rhane were gossiping and giggling in the corner; Amara hadn't gotten over the fact that her favorite author was an Acolyte, and after seeing him at the funeral she had gotten out her autographed copy of his latest book to show the other girls. Needless to say they were quite jealous. She had loved it when he had given her flaming roses at the mall, but she wasn't sure what to do about his attention. It was very flattering, but her family would flip if she started dating an Australian romance novelist, and her team would flip if she dated the enemy. He was rather cute though....................

Pietro and Bobby were playing video games in the Rec room, while Wanda sat on the couch making snide comments. Rogue and Kurt walked in and Wanda looked up. "I'm sorry about your mom, guys. I mean, she was a bitch and everything, but still."

Rogue nodded. She couldn't argue there; Raven _had_ been a bitch. "Thanks Wanda." She looked at the two boys. "So who's winning?"

Wanda snickered. "Depends on who you ask." Pietro protested. "Hey, I'm totally kicking Icecube's butt here." "Yeah well if Evan were here you'd be singing a different tune."

"Well he's not so you just shut up and keep on losing like the loser you are."

Wanda rolled her eyes. "Wow Pietro, that was just, such an incredible line."

Rogue shook her head. "The level of maturity in here is just so underwhelming."

Kurt flopped down on the couch next to Wanda, earning him a glare. Being used to his sister, he ignored it and turned his attention to the game players. "Hey, can I play winner?"

Rogue sighed and left the room.

O-o-o-o-O

After lunch, and spending the afternoon with Irene, she decided to take a nap. She woke up that evening to find Kitty gone out with Kurt. She changed into her clubbing clothes and bamfed down to the garage. She almost took her Jeep but then decided that it was such a nice night, she wanted to feel the wind in her hair and the hum of a nice piece of machinery between her legs. She looked over at Logan's bike and a grin spread over her face. He'd kill her, but what the hell...................

O-o-o-o-O

(AN: Normally I despise author's notes in the middle of a story, but it's necessary here. This is the point where everyone needs to go back and reread "Tonight" and the first two chapters of this story before continuing on, because, yes, we are now at the present. Don't worry, everyone will wait where they are while you read, no one's going anywhere. [Chaos, Rogue and Remy all sit and twiddle their thumbs while everyone goes back and reads])

O-o-o-o-O

_Saturday morning.................._

Today was the day. Everything would either go right or it would all go to hell. Remy of course was hoping for the former. He had been up early this morning; Magneto had insisted that everyone spend the night at the base so they'd be on time for the pre- mission meeting. Remy sat the kitchen table playing solitaire and drinking a cup of coffee while John watched cartoons and Piotr cooked breakfast. John wasn't allowed around stoves for obvious reasons. He tended to get excited around open flames, and accidents happened when John got excited about things. They'd had a hard enough time calming him down after Mystique's funeral yesterday, when John had seen the object of his affections from afar. He had wanted to go over and talk to her, but Piotr had managed to drag him back to the metal pinballs without too much of a fuss. Being able to turn oneself into a metal giant has its advantages.

Remy looked down, saw that he had lost the game, and started to shuffle the deck for a new game. Does it count as losing when you lose to yourself? He wasn't really sure. It definitely wasn't the same as winning though. Where was his mind? It wasn't on his card game. He knew where his mind was. Part of it was on the beautiful _fille_ sleeping across town, wishing he was curled up with her, and part of his mind was on the unpleasant job he and his team were supposed to do today. They were supposed to kidnap a group of mutants just so Dr. Essex could experiment on them; tinker with their genes and make soldiers out of them for Magneto. Fourteen mutants, one of them the nephew of Rogue's instructor Storm; none of whom had done anything wrong. It had just been decided for them that they would make good little soldiers for Magneto's army. _Welcome to the new mutant draft, mon amis._, he thought with a bitter mental chuckle.

Well, not if he and the X-Men had their way, he thought. No, when Mags got down to the Morlocks tunnel today he was going to find a surprise waiting for him. Instead of some unsuspecting Morlocks he was going to find some prepared Morlocks, some more than prepared X-Men, and himself with one less Acolyte. Mags could take his contract and shove it up his ass, because Remy LeBeau quit. He had a much better offer, the main perk of which was the heart, soul and body of one very beautiful Southern belle.

Remy's contemplation of his future happiness was interrupted by Magneto entering the room, followed by Sabertooth and Essex. He looked over at the two in the kitchen, then at John in the living room.

"Pyro! Turn off that television and get over here now."

"Aw, mate! This was just getting good. Buttercup was about to kick Mojo Jojo's arse."

"I don't care. I'm not paying you to watch cartoons. Now get over here."

John sighed and grumbled under his breath as he turned off the TV and wandered into the kitchen. He sat down next to Remy and laid his head on his shoulder. "Remmmmy", John whined, "Mags made me turn off me cartoons."

Remy didn't even look at him as he pushed his head away. "I know _mon ami_, but what do you expect me to do about it?"

John sniffed in a pathetic manner. "Blow him up."

Remy snorted. "You crazy, boy. You blow him up."

Magneto rolled his eyes. He was used to this at his morning meetings. "Will you both please shut up. I'm trying to have a meeting here." The noise died down. "Thank you. Now there have been some changes to our plans. Instead of just us going in with the knockout gas, after thinking things over I've decided that we are going to need some help. Dr. Essex, if you would let our guests in please?"

Essex opened the door and in walked eight of the nastiest looking mutants Remy had seen in a while. He smirked and started pointing to each mutant. "Let me introduce Blockbuster, Riptide, Arclight, Vertigo, Prism, Harpoon, Scrambler and Scalphunter. They've already allowed me to use my procedures on them and I can proudly say that they are a match for just about any mutant out there."

Remy was in shock. He had to warn Rogue. She had no idea that these guys were coming. She thought that she and her friends would just be facing him and the other Acolytes today. He slowly got up from the table. "Excuse me, I just need to get something before we start."

Essex smiled. It made Remy's blood run cold. "My dear boy, you won't be going anywhere. Vertigo, if you please." The woman he spoke to grinned and the next thing Remy knew he felt sick to his stomach. Arclight came around the table and held him with what felt like arms of steel. He struggled but he couldn't move an inch.

"What did I tell you Erik, the boy would try to escape and warn his partner once he found out about the change in plans. Won't the X-Men be surprised when they have more company than they expected later on?"

Outwardly Remy showed no sign of surprise but inwardly he was panicking. _Merde! He knows! How the hell did he know? _Either Essex read Sabertooth's mind before Rogue wiped it or there had been cameras at that lab. Why the hell hadn't he checked for fucking cameras? Some thief he was. He'd never be able to show his face in New Orleans again if this ever got out.

He looked around. Sabertooth was looking at him with malicious glee. They'd never liked each other. John looked shocked, and Piotr looked sad and somewhat understanding. Out of them all, he would understand Remy's desire to leave Magneto.

Essex spoke up. "What would you like me to do with him, Erik?"

"Knock him out and put him on the truck. Then you can do what you want with him. I care nothing for traitors." Magneto turned around and left the room.

"Aren't you wishing now that you had just agreed to work with me years ago, like I had wanted you to?" Essex was looking absolutely gleeful by this point, and Remy was feeling sick to his stomach.

"No, I'm wishing I had never met you in the first place, because the sight of you is turning my stomach now just like it did then."

"Hmph. Still the comedian. Arclight, put him to sleep please."

The mutant holding him let go of one arm to deliver a sharp crack to the skull and Remy knew no more.

O-o-o-o-O

Responses:

Melissarxy1: I was thinking Billy Joel, which definitely sucked. (I guess I'm showing my age) I couldn't let Raven die without her redeeming herself.

IloveLogan: If you think I'm the best, you obviously haven't read Giddy, which is a definite must for any romy fan.

Silver Ink: Hope you weren't sad for too long.

Fissie: Thanks, I thought it unrealistic that he and Rogue mourn her as a mother considering they didn't really know her.

Keebler-elmo: Well, it looks like Sinister will be doing something to him...heh heh heh...I'm not too familiar with New Son though.

Evosmylife: Of COURSE it can get worse. And it just did! Bwahahahahah! Sorry, had an evil moment there.

Ishy. First off, let me reassure you that I have no intention of trying to copy Seven Sunningdale. There is no way in hell that I could pull that off so I'm not even going to try. With that being said, let me just say that you need to stay away from coffee, chica. Kurt may or may not find out later how his mother really died, I haven't decided yet. I love Kurt/Rogue bonding, so I try to throw it in wherever I can. Regarding the cameras, yes I realize that Remy is supposed to be this great thief and all, but you guys seem to forget that he's still a kid. And everyone makes mistakes. And boy is he kicking himself for it now. But yes, as you can see, he is captured. Will he be saved? You'll have to see. I've already promised you that I wouldn't copy Seven, but that's all I can promise you right now.

SweetRevenge151: My goodness, withdrawal? Well we can't have that. Let's hope this helps.

Nuit: That's okay, I'm not a huge fan of Jean either, which is why I'm choosing a storyline that kills her off.

Enchantedlight: Yes I know, dumb of Remy not to check for cameras, but like I told Ishy, everyone makes mistakes.

Shockgoddess: Your feeling was right, heh heh heh. Marauders in the house, anyone? Hopefully you read my note up at the top where it said that I wouldn't be copying the Massacre. I don't like how that whole thing went down either. Essex and Mags don't want to kill them anyway, they just want to experiment.

Krac: heh heh heh, nasty Essex has just gotten nastier, and brought help too.

Arikitten: Hope you liked the Pyro I worked in for you, even brought in a little bit of Amara too. It is fun using Piotr as straight man to Pyro's insanity.

DemonicGambit: Sorry dearie but it's bad. Of course it's bad, this is Essex. Here's the chapter now I want to see the rest of Mislead Hearts.

Calliann: Well what do you know, you were right! It's taken us awhile, but we're at the present time now (I don't think anyone's complaining about how long it's taken us to get here though). Damn Essex is right. He's one of those guys you just love to hate.

To everyone else: Thank you so much for your reviews!


	29. Chapter 29

AN

AN: HELP! I'm feeling hunted these days. Silver Ink is trying to steal my brain, Evosmylife is setting up a shrine, and Lady Farevay is giving me these really shifty, scheming looks. I just know she's up to something. Oh the price of being popular...........sniff.......

O-o-o-o-O

Rogue rolled over in her bed and opened her eyes to the morning sunlight streaming through the window. She wanted nothing more than to just lay in bed for the rest of the day, but she couldn't. There was too much to do today. _It's just like the saying goes, today's the first day of the rest of your life_ What direction was it going in though? At the end of the day, would she come out alone, or would she have Remy by her side? Last night had been sweet, so sweet. She had wanted to stay in his arms forever. All good things come to an end though, and they'd had to part. Seeing him today wouldn't be quite so pleasant. He was supposed to join with them once the groups confronted each other in the tunnels, leaving Magneto with one less ally. It sounded so simple, so straightforward. She couldn't help but worry though. There was a sense of foreboding in her heart, and for the life of her it just wouldn't leave.

Kitty phased through the door, the towel wrapped around her head making it obvious that she had just taken a shower. She opened the door to the closet and started looking for something to wear, all the while chattering about her date with Kurt the night before.

"We went to the park last night Rogue and it was like SO romantic..........."

"I really don't need to hear about your date with my brother........."

".........and then he was kissing me and his tail went right up my........"

"TMI Kitty!!!" Rogue shouted, and threw a pillow towards her roommate's head.

Kitty blushed and ducked back into the closet. "Like, sorry Rogue."

Rogue rolled her eyes. It wasn't like she hadn't done worse things with Remy, but this was her brother Kitty was talking about. Sheesh. She was deep in contemplation of the ceiling tiles when Kitty spoke again.

"You probably want to get dressed. Jean mentioned that the Professor wants everyone to meet him downstairs in twenty minutes."

"Okay, thanks."_Here we go_

Kitty dropped through the floor after she finished dressing and Rogue crawled out of bed. Getting dressed didn't take her very long and she only put on minimal makeup today since she knew they were going down into the tunnels. Going down the stairs she wondered how Storm was going to take this. She'd probably flip. Evan's departure for the Morlocks had hurt her badly and now the possibility of him getting hurt might be more than she could take. God help anyone who tried to hurt that woman's family; she was not someone you wanted to mess with.

When she got down to the Rec room she discovered that everyone else was already there waiting for her. She perched on the arm of the couch and looked over at where the Professor was sitting on the other side of the room. He nodded to her.

"Thank you for joining us Rogue. Now that everyone is here I'll explain what's going on. It's been brought to my attention that Magneto has come up with a plot to capture mutants in order to experiment on them. He would then erase their memories and use them as soldiers. He's engaged the services of a mutant scientist and set up a lab for this purpose."

There were various cries of outrage throughout the room.

"Buckethead's got a lot of nerve!"

"How dare he?"

"Who's he going to take?"

"Wait till I get my hands on him........"

Professor Xavier raised his hands. "Everyone calm down, please. To answer your question, Magneto plans to take the Morlocks." There was silence and Storm whispered from the corner. "Evan.........."

Xavier looked over to her. "It will alright Storm, nothing will happen to him. We're going to go down to the tunnels and join with the Morlocks. Magneto will not be expecting us there."

Scott raised his hand. "Professor, how did you find all this out?"

Xavier looked slightly uncomfortable for a moment and looked over towards Rogue. She shrugged. _Well, it has to come out sometime._

"It was through the joint efforts of Rogue and Gambit."

There was perfect silence for a moment. The rest of the X-Men looked like you could have knocked them over with a feather. Rogue thought it was the first time she had ever seen them all truly speechless. The conversation, or rather ranting, that followed though could have been read off a script. Scott was raving about how could she trust an Acolyte and they were most likely being led into a trap. Logan had his claws out, going on about filthy Cajuns and how he better not have gotten anywhere near Rogue and how he should have paid better attention to what Rogue was doing. Kurt was questioning her sanity for trusting the enemy. The others just remained looking stunned and whispered among themselves. Jean was the only one who had already known what was going on, but she did a good job of acting surprised, since Xavier didn't know that she knew.

Ever the doubtful one, Scott shook his head. "I just can't accept this. How can you trust him, Rogue? How do you know he isn't just playing you?"

Rogue sighed. She hadn't wanted it to go this far, but she should have known better than to think that they would just accept her word that Remy would be on their side. She'd have to tell them.

"Scott, he's opened his mind to me completely. I trust him. He isn't hiding anything."

There was a little gasp from Kitty. "You......you're in love with him, aren't you?"

If Rogue thought the room had been chaotic before, she hadn't seen anything yet. The same people who had been merely protesting before were now threatening bodily harm to her boyfriend in some rather nasty ways, several of which made her cringe. She was surprised to hear a couple of the more inventive ones come from her own brother. She'd always thought him to be such a gentle soul. Obviously not.

Professor Xavier raised his voice to be heard above the racket. "Everyone please! I understand that this comes as a surprise to you all, but now is not the time to be upset. We need to get down to the tunnels and join the Morlocks before Magneto and the Acolytes find their way there. Gambit is going to join us once we arrive. I want everyone's word that no one will attack him once we get down there."

There were some grumblings from various people but everyone agreed. Once again Scott spoke up.

"Professor why weren't we told about this?"

"I'm sorry that we had to keep everyone in the dark but Dr. Essex is a telepath. I couldn't take the risk of him scanning the minds of any of you. Rogue and Gambit were safe because of their mental shields."

Scott nodded but he still didn't look too happy about it.

"Now I want everyone ready to leave in fifteen minutes. You're dismissed."

O-o-o-o-O

The tunnels that the Morlocks lived in were just as dank, wet and musty as Rogue remembered them being the last time she was down here, when they were looking for Evan. Every drop of water, every footstep on the concrete echoed throughout the corridors, announcing their presence as surely as if they had wrung a doorbell. They weren't too far from the last place they had seen Storm's nephew when a voice came out of the darkness.

"That's far enough."

The lean figure they recognized as Callisto came into the light, Evan a few steps behind her. He didn't look happy to see them.

"Auntie O, what are you guys doing here?"

"Evan, you and the other Morlocks, you're all in danger. Magneto and his Acolytes are on their way down here to capture you for some kind of experimentation. You have to get out of here."

Callisto spoke up at this. "No surface dweller, the Morlocks do not run. We will defend our home against any who come against us." From the shadows the forms of the other Morlocks could be seen. The expressions on their faces showed the seriousness of their determination to stand and fight.

Storm nodded in acceptance. "Alright, then we will fight with you. Evan is still part of our family, and we won't let anything happen to him."

Anything else she might have said was broken off when a growl came from Wolverine.

"We've got company coming."

Scott instantly became alert. "Jean, what can you sense?"

She closed her eyes for a minute. "Ten mutants. Three of the Acolytes; Pyro, Colossus and Sabertooth, and seven mutants I don't recognize..........they're hired help from Essex!"

Logan took a sniff. "I smell Magneto. He must have that bucket on. So that makes eleven."

Rogue was in a panic. _Three of the Acolytes....only three.......where's Remy........where the hell is Remy? Holy shit something must have gone wrong.........._

Jean sensed her distress and tried to calm her down. _It's okay Rogue, I'm sure Remy is fine_

_Don't you dare tell me everything's fucking fine when Remy's not here! Just shut the hell up Grey!_

Jean gave up and turned her attention back to the others.

Scott was asking her how close they were.

"Just about......" Her voice died as a familiar growl was heard around the corner. ".......here."

O-o-o-o-O

They came around the corner looking like they owned the place: Magneto with his ridiculous looking bucket on his head, still managing to look menacing regardless; Sabertooth who always looked menacing; Pyro who just looked insane; Colossus looking stoic and wall-like, and the seven strangers, most of whom looked like something out of a nightmare, all of whom had an evil gleam in their eyes. They didn't seem surprised to see the X-Men standing along with the Morlocks; in fact Magneto had a little smirk on his face as if he had been expecting it. Rogue felt the sudden urge to throw up. She knew without a doubt now that something was very, very wrong.

Magneto spoke up. "Look my friends, we have a welcoming party. Well, all the more to join us, I say. Vertigo, Blockbuster, if you'll do the honors please?"

One of the mutants stepped forward and threw a round object deep into the middle of the gathered Morlocks. When it exploded, it sent a gas pouring out into the tunnel and people started to collapse. Storm quickly sent a wind to blow the gas and bomb away, but not before five Morlocks were knocked out cold.

The other mutant that Magneto spoke to grinned and closed her eyes for a second. The next thing Rogue knew she was on her knees trying to fight the massive wave of nausea that was passing through her. It was like everything she had eaten for the past week had committed mutiny and was trying to abandon ship as quickly as possible. From the groans around her she could tell that the others were experiencing the same thing. This seemed to be the cue to attack, for the rest of Buckethead's new crew was now coming at them._ Damnit, how is a person supposed to fight when they're trying to not toss their cookies?_ Rogue gritted her teeth and raised her head as best she could. The bitch with the sickening touch was standing off to the side, laughter in her eyes.

_Oh yeah, this is so fucking funny, I wonder if you'll find this funny?_

She called up Scott's power and aimed right at the woman's head, knocking her to the ground. Immediately the nausea passed and Rogue was able to get up. She shook her head, trying to get her bearings. "Damn, she packs a punch." What to do now though? She needed to find Remy. Was he okay? What had happened? Piotr. Remy had always said that if they got in a fight that she should take on Piotr if she couldn't fight him. She knew that the two had something of a friendship; if anyone would be able to tell her what had happened, he would.

She looked around and saw the large Russian a few yards away, getting ready to face off against Kitty. Rogue ran over and got between them, turning her head to look at Kitty. "Why don't you get out of here, Kitty? Me and the big boy here have something to discuss." Her roommate gave her a funny look but went to help the others. Rogue turned back to her adversary.

"Where is he, Piotr? Where's Remy?"

Piotr looked confused. "I don't understand. Why are you looking for him?"

Rogue sighed. "Maybe this will help you out." Using Mystique's powers, she briefly changed her form to that of the blonde bimbo she had used to get out of the Acolyte's base the night she and Remy had broken into Magneto's office. The larger man's eyes widened in recognition and she shifted back to her own form.

"Now do you understand? Remy was supposed to be here today. Obviously he's not. That tells me something is wrong. Now WHERE the HELL is he?"

Piotr looked around then lowered his voice. "Somehow Dr. Essex found out that Remy was planning to betray Magneto. One of his new friends over there knocked Remy out and Essex is taking him to the same lab we're supposed to take the Morlocks to."

"Oh my god......" Rogue whispered. It was her worst nightmare. She wanted to scream, just take a minute and break down and cry like a little girl, but she couldn't. The person who was the best thing to ever happen to her was in trouble; he who had been there so many times for her, now she needed to do the same for him. She clutched the ring underneath her glove; had it just been a week ago that he had stolen it and given it back to her?

She grabbed Piotr's hand. "You have to help us."

"What? I can't. You don't understand........"

"Do you like what you're doing? Do you want to see these innocent people, these kids, tortured for no good reason? And now he's going to do the same thing to Remy. I thought he was your friend?!"

"Remy is my friend. Magneto.......my sister..........."

"Piotr, whatever hold Magneto has on you, we can help you. Professor Xavier won't let anything happen to your sister. I don't know your sister, but do you think she would be happy knowing that you hurt people in order to protect her?"

Piotr looked extremely unhappy. "No, she would not. I am deeply ashamed of what she would think of me."

"Then help us. Help Remy."

He nodded. "Alright. I will help you."

Rogue smiled. "That's great." She used Jean's power to send a message to her and Scott. _I don't have time to explain guys, but Colossus is fighting on our side now, so don't attack him, okay?_

She could sense the confusion from both of them but they both quickly agreed not to get in the now ex-Acolyte's way. Negotiations done, they turned to the ongoing battle.

"What about Magneto?" Piotr seemed uneasy about facing his former employer, and with good reason. The Master of Magnetism could easily kill the metal giant.

"You go help the others Piotr, let me worry about Buckethead."

Magneto had grabbed a couple of the unconscious Morlocks and was getting ready to take them to the surface. Rogue fired an optic blast at his back that sent him to his knees, making him drop the two bodies he had been carrying.

"If you think you're going anywhere with those people, you're gonna have to go through me first."

He got back up on his feet, a little shakily and turned to face her. "Rogue", he sneered, "do you really think you can take me?"

"Well I guess there's only one way to find out, now isn't there?"

Magneto smirked. "True, but aren't you missing someone this morning? Ah yes, the little traitor. My friend Essex has him for company now, and he's making a new man out of that piece of swamp trash." He made a motion with his hand and a piece of metal flew up from the flotsam on the ground and aimed towards Rogue's head. She ducked and jumped back out of the way. Magneto used his power to rip a section of water pipe from the ceiling of the tunnel and proceeded to try to bash Rogue's head in. She managed to fend him off, dodging and jumping, but she knew she had to put an end to this. She slipped off a glove then used Jean's telekinesis to try to wrench the pipe out of Magneto's hand. They struggled against each other for a minute, but eventually she succeeded and the pipe flew away to clank against the wall and drop to the floor. With a cry she jumped at him, her bare hand aiming for his face. He tried to get out of the way but she was to fast for him, and her hand clamped down on his face, earning a choked sound from him as his powers and life force were sucked out of him. After a minute or so she let him drop, and he lay on the ground like a ragdoll; he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Rogue smirked as she glanced at the Master of Magnetism lying helpless at her feet, enjoying the borrowed energy that flowed through her.

_I guess that will teach him not to underestimate me._

O-o-o-o-O

Behind Rogue, the battle raged on.

The New Mutants had been left at the mansion, so it was just Rogue, Kurt , Kitty, Scott, Jean, Storm and Logan.

While Rogue was facing off against Magneto, Scrambler had used his disruptive energy to knock out Kurt and two more Morlocks. Not being able to get to their friend in time to help him, Jean trapped Scrambler with her telekinesis while Scott fired an optic blast at him to knock him out. Feral, one of the Morlocks, went into a rage when she saw her sister Thornn knocked out by the invader and would have ripped him to shreds as he lay unconscious but Jean stopped the animalistic mutant with her mind.

"No. Killing him will not help your sister. Please, leave him alone and help the others."

Feral snarled at the girl but went off to join the fighting.

Wolverine and Sabertooth were paired off as usual but their fighting was a little more intense than normal. Logan had a score to settle with the other man for Mystique's death. He had never liked the woman but she was still Rogue and Kurt's mother, and her death had hurt them deeply. Besides, any additional excuse to carve a piece out of Sabby's ass was good enough for him.

The close quarters of the tunnels didn't leave much room to run or jump but that was just fine with him, just all the more reason to sink his claws into his favorite punching bag. Sweat hung in the dank air as they fought, the only noise being occasional snarls as they ripped and tore at each other, wounds healing quickly. Neither had to say anything, but they both knew: it was ending here. Only one of them would walk away from this fight.

The battle gradually got faster, more intense. Their wounds weren't closing quite as quickly as before and both were starting to show signs of fatigue. Logan knew he had to end this soon. Taking a chance the shorter mutant jumped on Sabertooth's back and, grabbing his hair, whispered in his ear. "Well it's been fun asshole. See you in hell." Then with every bit of strength he had he used his claws to cut the man's head off. The two fell to the floor and Logan quickly got up, looked down at the body of his long- time enemy and spat on it. He noticed he was still holding the head by the hair and dropped it. He stretched, cracking the bones in his neck, then cracked his knuckles.

"Damn, that felt good." Hearing a roar behind him, he turned around to see one of the Morlocks change into a dragon in order to face Pyro's flaming creations.

"Damn firebug." He cursed under his breath as he made his way to sneak around behind the Acolyte, hoping the young Morlock would distract him. Luckily the pyromaniac was too entranced with his own work to pay any attention to what was going on around him. Scaleface in her dragon form gave a squeal of pain as she was singed by the winged fire dragon that Pyro was wielding. Pyro just laughed, this was just too much fun. He thought his dragon was much prettier than the real thing. She couldn't even fly! His party ended when he heard a snarl behind him.

"Time to put you out, kid." The cables on his flamethrowers went SNAP! and bye bye went his beautiful dragon. He turned around slowly, afraid of what he'd see. When he did he was sorry he'd turned, for there was the evilly grinning face of the Wolverine, as big as life and twice as ugly.

"Ummm.....hullo there mate, beautiful day, ain't it?" He laughed nervously.

If anything, Wolverine's grin just got bigger. "Yeah, but not for you it isn't." With a snarl, he cuffed Pyro across the head and the poor Australian was down for the count. Scaleface shifted back to human form and walked over to them.

"Hey, thanks mister."

"No problem, kid. If he starts waking up, you change back and just knock him upside the head again, okay?"

The girl grinned. "Okay."

Logan gave her a little smile and walked off.

Piotr was holding his own against Riptide, the latter's bone shuriken bouncing off the Russian's metal skin. He had a hard time getting a punch in though, as Riptide would spin so fast. Finally the Morlock Masque came up to them and grabbed Riptide and, using his ability to psionically sculpt flesh, caused the man's nose to drip down his face. Riptide was in such shock and pain from this that it gave Piotr the time he needed to knock him out. He turned to the Morlock.

"Thank you."

Masque merely nodded and walked away.

Evan and Marrow were holding their own against Harpoon and his charged spears. Marrow had a similar mutation to Evan's, and while she wasn't exactly the friendly sort, they had a mutual respect for each other and fought well together. So caught up in the battle were they, that they didn't hear Blockbuster sneak up on them from behind. It was a complete surprise to them both when he used his super strength to club Marrow in the head and take her out. Evan turned his head to see what was happening and didn't have a chance to dodge the spear that was aiming straight for his chest. It drove right through him, turning his heart into mincemeat and pulling him backwards into the ground with the force of the blow. He choked on his own blood for a minute or so before his eyes closed for the last time.

Storm was nearby fighting Prism when she saw her nephew go down. When that spear went through his chest it was like her own heart had stopped. Everything in her body felt as cold as ice. All she could feel was pure rage. Then his eyes closed.

"EVAN!!!!!!!!!" she screamed. And it was like the heavens screamed with her. Her eyes glowed a colder white than anyone had ever seen them before. Hurricane force winds swept through the tunnels, knocking people left and right, putting a stop to the fighting and rocking the very foundations of the walls. Storm turned to face Harpoon, the mutant who had killed her nephew, and there was pure hatred in her eyes. "YOU" she spat out, and it was like the wrath of God had spoken. A huge ball of lightning collected in her hands and she threw it at him. He got lucky and managed to duck out of the way and the lightning exploded against the wall, taking out an enormous section of the tunnel. People cried out in fear as the walls shook.

"Storm! No!" someone cried out.

She was beyond hearing though. An even bigger ball was created and this time she hit paydirt; where once there was a mutant was now a scorched ball of flesh. This one also took out a section of wall though and this time the shaking didn't stop.

"The ceiling! It's going to collapse!"

Scott took charge. "Come on everyone, let's head back to the entrance."

Jean shook her head. "No Scott, we don't have time for that. This whole place is going to cave in. You blast a hole in the ceiling, and I'll hold it together while everyone gets out."

"I don't like this Jean."

"It's the only way. Now hurry, we don't have a lot of time."

He nodded. "Everyone stand back." He shot up and blasted a hole in the ceiling big enough for people to get through. Jean immediately used her telekinesis to hold the ceiling together so it would collapse. The Morlocks and X-Men started lifting the unconscious and injured up through the hole. Scott looked around. Scott looked around.

"Where are the last three of Essex's crew?"

Rogue searched with Jean's powers. "Looks like they ran out on us after their friend got fried." She looked around. "And they grabbed Magneto on their way out."

Scott sighed. "Well, we can't worry about that now. Let's just get out of here."

Rogue grabbed his hand and used telekinesis to levitate them both out of the tunnels. Sabertooth's decapitated body was being left behind by an unspoken agreement, but Storm picked up Evan's corpse tenderly and brought him aboveground. She couldn't leave him down there. He needed to rest near his family and friends. His mother would never forgive her if she didn't let him have that.

Magneto may have been taken, but Pyro, Scrambler, Vertigo and Riptide had been left behind, and their unconscious bodies were brought safely up with everyone else's; Piotr carrying his friend carefully. He wasn't sure if he could convince John into leaving Magneto; the young man was truly too crazy to really care about one side or another, but he was going to try.

Everyone had been brought to the surface and Jean was preparing to leave herself when a voice came into her head.

_Let it fall_

_What?!_

_Let it fall. Let the ceiling fall._

_No! Are you crazy?_

_This is what you've been waiting for. What we've been waiting for. All the dreams you've had, they've been leading up to this. Your transformation awaits, Jean. A baptism of blood and you will come out the other side a goddess. Fire and stars will burn in your soul and you will never be cold again. Taste it, Jean. Can you taste it?_

Jean smiled.

_I can taste it_

Scott was standing above the hole in the tunnel, waiting for Jean to come up and join them when he heard a rumble.

"Jean? What's going on down there?"

Jean stood at the bottom, smiling up at him. "Back off Scott. I don't want you to get hurt when this comes down."

"When this comes down? What the hell are you talking about? Get up here!"

"No Scott. I'm about to fulfill my destiny. Take care of everyone for me. I loved you." And she let the ceiling and walls collapse upon her.

"NO! JEAN!!"

O-o-o-o-O

BWAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! Sorry, got caught up in an evil moment. Damn, that was one of the hardest chapters for me to write. I'd never done a major battle before. Sorry there was no Remy in this, not to fear though, he isn't going anywhere. Heh heh heh.

Responses:

Wiccamage: Nope, not kidding. Bwahahahaha.

Melissarxy1: Umm, how can Rogue blame Remy for anything when he isn't even there? Nope, no Massacre. Just two deaths, well three if you count Jean. And I have no intention of going anywhere near Antarctica.

Sweety8587: Okay, I won't tell you that he's going to be used as a lab rat then.

Dreamschemer: No time to experiment? I dunno, looks like Essex has had a nice bit of time with our poor Remy so far. What on earth could he have been doing with him?

Fissie: Hope you liked the Pyro action here (no, he wasn't hurt too badly, he will wake up)

Lady Farevay: Here at long last is the battle. And I can finally get those damn Marauders out of my house. Good thing, because I think my cats need therapy by now. Hope it was worth the wait.

IloveLogan: Here dearie, have some Kleenex. Oo_Gives her some Kleenex_oO

Krac: Sorry I didn't include Malice dearie. But so far we have one dead Jean, one dead Evan, a decapitated Sabertooth, a fried Harpoon and a slightly mutilated but still living Riptide. How's that for a body count?

Shockgoddess: Remy screwed? Well, that remains to be seen. I'll try not to take so long with that chapter.

Evosmylife: Yep, I'm a very evil author. But for some reason ya'll seem to love me anyway, so what does that say about you? Bwahahahahahaha.

RikaTabithaStarr: Nah, Remy won't die. He won't be too happy I don't think, but I can promise you that he won't die.

Ishy: Ishy dear, I believe I've already told you that I wouldn't kill either of them off. (at least not in this story) Yes, Amara does have a teensy weensy crush. There may be nothing wrong with an Australian romance novelist to either you or me, but being a princess she has to be practical and has expectations she must live up to, I'm sure. And you're right, Marauders are definitely not good, and they're up to their usual mayhem here.

Calliann: Umm...well......I can't promise that they'll get to Remy before Essex does something sick.......xx_whistles innocently_xx

DemonicGambit: You want to come into the story and kick Essex's butt? I think I'd like to see that.

RubyRedeyesGambitLeBeau: No no no, no trial or dumping in Antarctica here. Besides, Remy was knocked out and with Essex when this battle happened, how could anyone blame it on him? Hey, I left everyone in suspense. And the good guys get caught all the time, if they didn't where would half our plot lines come from?

Coletterby: Nice idea, but if you kill me then who will update this story?

Rogue Almighty: Cookies? For ME?? I like chocolate chip.


	30. Chapter 30

AN

AN: I'm not sure how to begin apologizing here. I think you guys will have to accept that I go through periods where I get writer's block, get stressed out, and can't write. Good things do come to those who wait though, and I promise not to abandon this fic entirely. Rereading all my lovely lovely reviews always inspires me though, so thank you.

O-o-o-o-O

Ecstasy.

Jean had never truly understood the meaning of the word before, but now she did. There had been pain and terror when the ceiling caved in, especially those last few seconds before everything went black, but when she awoke.......she understood now how sadomasochists could say there was no pleasure without pain. You could not appreciate one without the other. Her eyes reopened and while she couldn't say it was like opening them for the first time, but she had a new appreciation for the world. A force filled her body and mind, firing her soul and warming her like nothing had ever done before. Moving her body tentatively, she felt no pain; in fact she felt rejuvenated. Standing up from the rubble, she stretched, appreciating the new energy flowing through her.

_We are one now_ said the voice in her mind.

_We are one_ Jean smiled back her reply.

_You are the flame that will light the world_

_I am the flame that will light the world_

_You are the fire and the resurrection_

_I am the fire and the resurrection_

_You are......_

"I AM PHOENIX!" Jean screamed, and burst up out of the rubble of tunnel, into the sky.

O-o-o-o-O

Scott was struggling against Piotr and Logan, trying to break free to go down to the tunnels after Jean.

"LET ME GO!!" he yelled. "You bastards she's not dead!"

"Calm down Cyke" Logan said roughly. "That ceiling still ain't stable. Go over there and you could bring it down on yourself. We've lost two people already; we can't afford to lose anymore."

"How could you? How could you just leave her down there?"

"There's no way she could have survived that cave-in. I'm sorry, kid."

Scott let out a yell of frustration and slumped in their grasp, trying to hold back tears.

Rogue sat by Storm, who was slumped on the ground by Evan's body, seemingly in a state of shock. She hadn't said a word since she killed Harpoon; just brought her nephew's body to the surface and stayed by him, almost like she was guarding him. Having seen Mystique die in front of her, Rogue could sympathize somewhat with what Ororo was going through. She also wanted to make sure the older woman didn't flip out and start frying people again, though deep down she didn't think that would be a problem considering Evan's killer was dead, but you could never be too careful.

She was trying to keep her mind off the problem that was screaming in the back of her mind: Remy. She knew he was in trouble and that he needed her, but the X-Men needed her too and she would need their help to get Remy out of Essex's hands. She didn't think she'd be able to do it alone. She just hoped he could hang on until she could get to him. It wasn't easy though; just the thought of what that creep could be doing to him made her sick.

He wasn't the only one though. During the chaos of the battle and cave-in, Essex's hired guns had made off with two of the Morlocks; Leech and Plague. Rogue had seen Leech during the battle; he was just a little boy for heaven's sake. But his ability to cancel out other mutants' powers would make him an invaluable weapon to Essex. Plague's mutation of causing sickness in others was nothing to be looked over either. All three of them could be turned into something truly deadly. She and the X-Men couldn't let anything happen to them.

The others were coming to now slowly; the Morlocks were tending to each other's injuries while Callisto raged about Evan's death and the loss of her teammates. Kurt was awake now, and Kitty was holding him tightly as he cried, having just learned about Evan. Piotr was cleaning up the blood on John's head from where Wolverine had knocked him out, while Scaleface guarded them silently in her dragon form. Even though Rogue said that he was fighting with them now, they couldn't quite trust the Russian yet, and John was an unknown quantity entirely. Everyone's attention was grabbed when there was a deep rumble from the ruins of the tunnel, and amidst a blast of flying rock a ball of fire shot into the sky with a scream. People yelped and ducked as the debris flew everywhere, yet couldn't keep their eyes off the flame that had risen. The ball of fire rose high into the sky, tendrils of flame stretching out for a moment like the wings of a great bird, then sank back towards the earth, the flames slowly dying out to reveal....

Jean.

Uniform ripped and dirty, bloody and bruised, hair loose and tangled flowing out behind her, she looked.....well, exactly like someone who had gotten the worst end of a cave in. But other than the fact that she was still alive at all, there was a golden glow to her eyes and a new way that she held herself that told the people staring at her that something wasn't right.

Scott was the first one to react. Racing towards her, he stretched out his hand. "Jean! You're alive!" The relief and joy in his voice was as palpable as his grief had been before. Just before he could reach her where she hovered over the ground though, her voice echoed out.

"Stop."

It wasn't Jean. Well, it was and wasn't. It was slightly deeper, with a more mature note to it that was noticeable to everyone. Scott stopped in his tracks, and spoke a little warily.

"Jean, what's happened? We thought you were......."

"You were right. The Jean that you knew is gone. I am Jean, but I am more than Jean now. I am Phoenix. The fire that never truly dies has arisen from my ashes."

_This is the power that I felt........_ Rogue thought as she felt the little piece of Jean that was inside of her respond to the woman in front of them.

Phoenix turned and smiled. "That's correct Rogue. The power for my rebirth has been building for months now; I just needed a catalyst to spark the change. Now I am free and my universe will burn."

Pyro looked up dazedly from where he was sitting on the ground. "Burn baby burn!" he called out, a crazy gleam in his eyes. Wolverine glared at the Acolyte. Piotr sighed and covered John's mouth with his hand. He struggled, but he was no match for the powerful Russian.

_....never be cold again.......destroyer of worlds........_ the echo of Jean in Rogue's mind whispered.

"You're going to destroy entire planets", Rogue said. "Why?"

A cold smile formed on Phoenix's face. "It's my nature. What does fire do? It burns. Worlds will tremble before they fall."

Scott seemed to have recover from his shock. "What have you done with Jean?" he snarled.

"I've done nothing with her. She's known this was coming for months, and agreed to it. She kept her growing powers hidden from everyone, including Xavier. He is no longer the number one telepath on the planet; I am."

_I may have agreed to our union, but I never agreed to this _came a voice deep within Phoenix's psyche, the part that was still Jean._ I am still an X-Man, and the wholesale slaughter of worlds is not part of our contract!_ the voice proclaimed forcefully.

_What did you think you were signing up for? Fuzzy bunnies and charity work? I don't think so_. Phoenix sent back at her.

_The legend of the Phoenix is a symbol of immortality and rebirth, in other words, LIFE. What you want is death, a mockery of everything your name stands for._

_I will not listen to this! We are one now and our purpose will be the same_.

_NO!_ Jean shouted within her.

Scott and the others looked on at her. "What's going on?" he asked.

"We seem to be having a difference of opinion", Rogue said, the power she absorbed from Jean allowing her to hear the internal conflict.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Phoenix here wants to burn down the universe and Jean doesn't."

Hope flared in Scott's eyes. "So Jean's still in there?"

"Yeah but they've got a major debate going on........"

Scott wasn't listening. He ran towards Jean again and stopped just a few yards away.

"Jean, please, listen to me", he pleaded. "You've got to fight her. You can't let her control you like this."

Phoenix laughed. "Oh Scott, how sweet. Ever the devoted one. Do you really think she needs you now? Now that we have infinity at our fingertips? Human emotions are wasted now, tying her spirit down. Do you want your precious Jean tied down when she can fly free?"

He snarled. "She's not tied down, she's with family, people who love her. We just want her back!"

"Love? Who needs love? Love's a vampire, a killer of the soul. She's better off without it."

_No......I remember love......._

Hearing that whisper, Rogue took a chance and connected her mind to Scott's briefly, so he could hear that trace of Jean still within Phoenix. He looked at her sharply, the anger he had been feeling towards her since the meeting this morning when they all found out about her and Remy fading a bit. Encouraged, he pressed on.

"No, you're wrong. It's helped make her the person she is. You chose her for a reason, didn't you? Well if you force her to go against her nature and do your bidding, you're going to destroy what made you seek her out in the first place."

"She will rise above the heavens." Phoenix retorted

_I will curse your name with every life we take_

"She'll sink in despair. Please don't do this."

_I will make our union a living hell instead of the partnership you wanted it to be_

"Give her back to us. Please."

_You are supposed to be the fire and joy of life renewed, not the agony of death. Think of all the good we could do_

"Please."

"STOP!!!!!!!" Phoenix screamed, flaring up suddenly in a flash of light. Angrily, she shoved Scott away telekinetically and he flew several yards away to land against a pile of rubble.

"I CANNOT TAKE THIS ANYMORE!! You have not seen the last of me" she snarled and shot up into the sky, becoming a ball of fire once more that gradually winked out of sight.

Scott got up from where he landed, a little shaken, and looked up to where she had disappeared. "No" he whispered brokenly. Collecting himself, he started back towards the others. "We need to go after her" he said with determination.

Logan came up to him. "And how do you expect to do that? You sprout wings all of a sudden?"

"But....we can't just let her go like that, we have to get her back."

"Cyke, that lady ain't coming back unless she's good and ready, and nothing we can do is going to change that. Besides, Essex has two people that we have to get back before that sick fuck hurts them."

"Three. He has Remy, too." Rogue spoke up from behind them.

"Oh I bet. He was probably in on it with Essex all along." Scott spat out.

"How dare you!" she screamed. "He risked his life to help us. You don't know what we went through......." She stopped, determined not to cry in front of the eternal boy scout.

"Rogue......" Logan wasn't sure what to say. He didn't like Gambit, didn't like anyone who worked for Magneto actually, but he had always thought that he could trust Rogue's judgment and she seemed to be dead serious with this.

"Look", she sighed. "We can argue about who dislikes whom and all that other bullshit later. Right now let's just get them out of there. All we're doing now is giving Essex more time to play mad scientist."

"Right. Let's get a team together. Rogue, Logan, you see who's well enough to come with us, I'll get the jet started." The other two nodded and went their separate ways.

Between them they were able to come up with a team of Piotr, Kitty, Kurt, Marrow, Feral and Thornn. The other Morlocks were staying behind to tend the wounded and keep guard on the injured prisoners, Pyro, Scrambler, Vertigo and Riptide. The last three were still out, but Piotr talked to John and he agreed to behave himself (as much as possible anyway) under the watchful eyes of Scaleface and Masque. Storm had hardly even glanced up during the entire fiasco with Phoenix, so caught up was she in her grief. Rogue wasn't sure if she was even aware of what was going on. She definitely wasn't in any condition to go on a mission.

Climbing the jet along with Rogue and Logan, the team settled into seats and Rogue gave Scott the location of Essex's lab outside of town. She told him about the human guards that had been there when she and Remy visited, but she wasn't sure what the security was like now. As the jet took off, Rogue looked out of the window into the sky.

_Hang on Remy, we're coming for you_

O-o-o-o-O

The first coherent thought that went through Remy's mind was: _God I hate hospitals_

The place where he found himself waking up had that hospital smell. That disinfectant and other things that you can't quite name but aren't really sure you want to know what they are smell The one everyone usually hates, including the people that work there. Still with his eyes closed, he tried to remember what the last thing he remembered was. If he remembered what that was, then it might give him an idea as to where he was now and why he was where he was now and that would give him a clue as to whether he really wanted to open his eyes or not. Ignorance really is bliss sometimes. _Now what do I remember........oh yeah.....kitchen....Mags....Pyro and his damn cartoons.....Essex.....oh shit now I remember..... _He really didn't think he wanted to open his eyes now, but in cases like this ignorance definitely was not bliss, and what you didn't know could hurt you. Cracking his eyelids open, the first thing he saw was a ceiling. Well, so far not so good. He was lying down. He tried to move but discovered he couldn't. Raising his head he saw that he was strapped to a table in what looked like a lab. A very familiar lab. He recognized it as the lab he and Rogue and broken into not too long ago. _Guess I get to be a more formal guest now, neh_?

Remy's arms were strapped down but he managed to wiggle a hand towards his pocket and work out a playing card from one of the decks he thankfully always kept on him. Pulling it away from his body, he tried to charge it but was shocked when nothing happened. _What the hell?_ He tried again. Still nothing. Somehow or another, Essex had managed to turn his powers off. Well, he was now as his brother would put it, "well and truly fucked" Just full of wisdom, Henri was. It certainly applied in this situation though.

He looked around a little, trying to familiarize himself with the place. There were several other tables in the room, all set up like his; though he seemed to be the only occupant at the moment. There were trays with instruments and different machines whose functions he couldn't figure out, and a large refrigerator at one end of the room. He doubted it was used for snacks though.

Voices in the hall cut off his investigation. His host, Essex, walked into the room, followed by Arclight, Scalphunter,, Prism and Blockbuster. Blockbuster carried an unconscious Magneto, while Prism and Scalphunter carried two mutants that Remy didn't recognize.

"Put them each down on a table." Essex said.

"Magneto too?" asked Blockbuster.

Essex smiled. "Yes. I look forward to the opportunity to experiment with his abilities."

The other mutant shrugged and strapped the Master of Magnetism down to one of the tables, while his teammates did the same with their cargo. When they were finished, Essex came over with a tray holding several syringes. He used them to give each mutant an injection, discarding the tray on a table when he was done. "There, that should take care of them. I still can't believe you only got two Morlocks though."

"The X-Men and Morlocks combined to give us a harder battle than we expected." Prism protested.

Essex snorted. "I should have figured as much, considering they had inside info, but still, that's no excuse for shoddy work."

Glancing over towards Remy, his cold little smile came back. "Speaking of inside info, I see my other guest has awakened. How are you enjoying your accommodations?"

"If you wanted to tie me up you should have just asked, _homme_, but to tell the truth you're not Remy's type."

"Even defeated you still feel the need to joke. Is it in your genes? Well I guess I'll find out when I go exploring in there, now won't I?"

"What are you talking about?" Remy asked, a little nervous, but trying not to let it show.

"Why I'm going to help you Remy. You have so much untapped potential, and I just want to bring it out of you. You'll thank me for it, really you will. Arclight, get the instrument tray ready." He said as he went to the sink and washed his hands.

"Thank you? I don't think so. You're a sick bastard and I'm going to make you wish you'd never met me." Remy snarled as he struggled on the table.

Essex came back over, now washed and gloved for whatever he planned to do. "Now the first thing I'll need to do is collect a small sample of brain tissue." Remy went white at this. "Now , now, it won't be much, not enough to damage anything. Nothing serious anyway" Essex said with a smirk. "It will only be a small incision, not enough to mess up that nice hair of yours. I'm sure the ladies would be up in arms if anything happened to it" he chuckled.

Picking up a small drill with a very fine bit on it, he paused. "I'd give you drugs but I can't risk the possibility of chemicals affecting the brain so we'll have to do this without anesthesia. I'm sure you understand."

At that moment Remy thought he'd never been so afraid in his life. It was like his worst nightmare come true. Every little kid who watches horror movies dreams about the mad scientist who comes and does horrible things to him, but this was no dream. This was really happening. _I won't scream, I won't scream_ he thought to himself, but when that drill touched his head and turned on, bringing pain like he'd never known before, those thoughts were immediately gone and all he could do was scream.

O-o-o-o-O

(_ducks, digging out her flameproof and egg and tomato-proof armor_)

Responses:

Ishy: (_accepts her glares and scolding in advance_) bwahahahahaha, so the experimentation has begun. I know, Rogue really should listen to her forebodings more often. But she didn't, so we're stuck. Glad you liked Sabertooth getting bumped off. I think a lot of people cheered when that happened.

Enchantedlight: Eh, sorry, I felt like including Jean. No phoenix in the next story, I promise.

RikaTabithaStarr: Dark? Wellllllllll.......we're talking majorly confused at the moment, heh heh.

Melissarxy1: Yes, I don't like Antarctica either. I will never forgive Marvel for that.

DemonicGambit: Sorry you weren't able to jump into my story. That would have been fun. No worries, they're off to save Remy. What condition they find him in is debatable though......

Fissie: I threw a little more Pyro in for you. I finally got over my writer's block, I hope you do too.

Shockgoddess: Ooooh, a cookie. Thank you! Actually we had more than two. Jean, Evan, Sabertooth and Harpoon. Where's Remy? In a lot of trouble right now.

Lady Farevay: Ah, my number one stalker! My cats are still tormented, so the sooner I get the Marauders out, the better. Glad you liked the chapter.

Sweety8587: Double chocolate brownie? Yummm!! Yep! Magneto got beat by a girl, heh heh heh. And ding dong, Sabby's dead. Curious as to some of the things that Kurt might do to Remy? Start reading about the Inquisition and their torture methods.

IloveLogan: Extra fluffy romy? I dunno, it just comes out. Intense music works too. Enigma, Delerium, a little Sting and Tori Amos works too.

GreenFairyGirl88: Glad you enjoyed the chapter. I'm really sorry this one took so long.

Wiccamage: No, I didn't know that about Masque. That sounds pretty cool though. I wonder if I could find any pictures online of it.

Awikie-Wakie-Wokie: No cookies for me?....xsniffx Yeah, Jean's back. I promise not to make too big a deal out of it though. Revamped...hehh hehh heh

Silver Ink: No. You cannot have my brain. You watch it or I'll sic Lady Farevay on you. She has a giant man-eating Venus Fly Trap.

Kitsune Moonstar: Yes, I am enjoying cliffhangers. They are quite fun. We're not quite finished yet though. We've still got a little ways to go.

Loselen Snowstar: Jamaican ? Oh yah mon. I used to have a penpal in Puerto Rico. Accent's not as cool though.

EE's Skysong: A mini-swamp rat? I want a mini-swamp rat!!!! Oh please oh please! That sounds really cool!

X-Girl: I haven't abandoned the story. Just a needed hiatus.

Xpoisonedaxangelx: Glad you're enjoying the story. You felt bad over Evan? I didn't. I felt bad for Storm grieving over him but I didn't really mourn Evan all that much. And I knew Jean was coming back so I didn't bother mourning her. I don't think anyone mourned Sabertooth.

Coletterby: Pixie faeries? I don't know, can they use a computer?

EmeraldKatsEye: It's here! It's here!

The RealMai and Cheers Darlin: Thank you soooooo much to both of you for taking the time to post 29 reviews at once. Well, not all at once but you know what I mean. I was absolutely tickled pink when I saw you meant to review the whole story at once. Mai, glad you're happy that the damn cat is dead. I rejoiced when I killed him off too. I haven't found anyone yet who really likes Sabertooth. And with Rogue letting Remy touch her, part of this was that I wanted to show Rogue allowing herself to get past her self-imposed limitations and start actually living a little. I think she's doing that here and I can honestly say I like what I've done with her.

Everyone else who reviewed: Thank you so much. I hope this was worth the wait.


	31. Chapter 31

AN: As always I most certainly do not own the X-Men. I have been informed that the brain does not feel pain, but while that is true I'm quite certain that the scalp does.

O-o-o-o-O

Today's word of the day was ouch. Remy was quickly becoming very familiar with this word. The bit from Essex's drill, even as small as it was, was still enough to drive a sharp pain into his head as it bit into his flesh. Head wounds have a tendency to bleed profusely; even though Remy had his eyes closed since he couldn't stand the sight of the drill, he could still feel an occasional trickle of blood run down his face. Once in awhile a drop would mix with a tear that escaped from his eyes due to the pain, and would run a little faster.

After the first few screams Essex told him to shut up; the noise made him jittery and neither of them wanted him to make a mistake, now did they? So Remy did his best to be quiet, but it was hard; especially when the drill finished going through his scalp and went into the skull. Then it wasn't necessarily pain but the most awful nauseous feeling he had ever had. Things just weren't supposed to be going through his skull! His mind screamed. And didn't people often pass out from traumatic experiences like this, so for heaven's sake why wasn't he passing out? He didn't want to be awake for this. It was creeping him out so badly he just wanted to cry. The mad scientists weren't supposed to be real, they were just movies, weren't they? Apparently not, for here he was with his own mad scientist and he knew this was no movie.

The drilling took what seemed to be forever but only a few minutes had passed. Essex eventually passed through the skull and apparently managed to stop without touching the brain, because he was quite pleased with himself when he finally put the drill aside, the bit stained with Remy's blood. Taking a sterile cloth, he wiped off the blood that was coming from the wound and that which had rolled down his face.

"There", he said in what he probably thought was a comforting tone, "that part's over, and we're almost done." Then taking a small instrument, Essex inserted it into the narrow hole he had created and took a tiny piece of brain matter. Remy cringed at the feeling of the instrument touching the edges of his wound, but he didn't feel it touch his brain, thankfully. He'd heard that the brain didn't feel any pain, and luckily for him that was true. He didn't want to feel something like that; there was just something inherently wrong about the act. Nothing should be touching his brain.

Removing the instrument, Essex carefully placed its contents on a glass microscope slide and set it aside. He then took a small piece of what looked like plastic from a dish on the tray.

"You'll be happy to know that I'll be repairing your skull with a new biodegradable polymer that's been developed in Singapore. Wonderful technology people are coming up with nowadays, isn't it? This way the bone will grow back on its own and you won't have to worry about setting off metal detectors. I thought you'd appreciate that." He carefully inserted the plug into the hole he had made and then bandaged it. "There, all better. Perhaps we can give you something for the pain now, yes?" he asked, like he was offering a gift. Remy did consider it a gift though, and croaked out a small affirmative reply. Essex then gave him a shot of a painkiller and after a moment or two Remy relaxed. Maybe he could sleep and just pretend this wasn't happening, because he didn't want to know what Essex intended to do with what he had taken from him, nor what would happen once he had finished what he started.

Giving a condescending little smile, Essex left his 'patient' to nod off from the effects of the drug. He went over to the other end of the room and placed the tissue sample in the refrigerator then cleaned and sterilized his instruments before beginning the procedure on the others.

His hired hands had not been idle in the meantime though. Gathered around the unconscious Magneto, they were looking to have some fun. Arclight looked down at him derisively. "So this is the so-called Master of Magnetism, huh? He doesn't look so tough now" she scoffed.

Scalphunter picked up the paddles of a defibrillator that was standing nearby. Grinning, he turned it on. "What do you say we wake the old man up?" he said. The others laughed. Essex was too preoccupied with what he was doing to Remy to really take any notice of them. Arclight ripped open the chest of Magneto's armor, exposing his bare skin. "Have at it, Doctor",she said playfully. Scalphunter held up the paddles and said "Clear!" in a mock serious voice, then jammed the paddles down onto Magneto's bare chest. The older man's body jolted as the electricity poured through him.

"Again" the mutant laughed, then sent more power surging through the man on the table, causing him to wake up thrashing. "What, what's going on?", the Master of Magnetism exclaimed, panting from the pain of just being electrocuted. The little group around him laughed. "Wakey wakey Magsey-boy", Prism chuckled at him, and Scalphunter put the paddles away. Eric tried to move, but found himself strapped down to the table. He then tried to use his powers, but was startled to discover they weren't working.

"What have you done to me?" he glared at the people surrounding him.

"Getting into things they shouldn't be" dripped a stern voice from behind them. Turning, the four mercenaries saw their rather irate-looking boss.

"What do you think you are doing, messing around with my patients?" Essex asked angrily.

"Ummm...nothing, boss. We were just playing", said Blockbuster.

The doctor's glare deepened. "Get out of here and play somewhere else, and don't let me catch you interfering with my work again."

The group gulped as a whole. "Yes sir" muttered Arclight, and the four of them left the room.

"Now then" Essex said, turning back to his former partner. "What the hell is going on, Essex?" Eric demanded.

The man smirked. "Nothing that wouldn't have happened eventually anyway. Your getting taken down in battle just allowed me to start it sooner. Don't fear Eric, nothing will happen to you that isn't already happening to my other subjects" he said, and brought the instrument tray over to Magneto's bed. "Really, you should be looking forward to this. You wanted power, now I am going to give that to you. You'll be using it under my direction of course, but that's really a small matter. We were going to work together anyway so it shouldn't make a difference whose giving the orders. Now just lie still and this will hurt much less." With that he pressed Magneto's head to the table and turned the drill on.

The last thing Remy heard before he fell asleep was his former boss crying out in pain.

O-o-o-o-O

Rogue wanted to hit someone. More specifically she wanted to hit Scott. He hadn't stopped grumbling since they left the others behind outside the tunnels. He didn't seem to care that they'd be leaving innocent people to be mutilated; he just wanted to go find Jean. She swore if he didn't shut up she'd take his visor and shove it up his ass. She was tired of hearing about Jean. Poor Jean. Well poor Jean had managed to hide a destructive psychotic entity inside of her for months and hadn't bothered to tell anyone. She had even managed to hide it from Xavier. If Rogue hadn't of absorbed her she would never have known about the power poor Jean was hiding. Poor Jean wasn't so poor though. Rogue had gotten some of her thoughts. She enjoyed having that power, and being able to pull one over on Xavier and everyone else. Rogue would never be convinced that part of her didn't want what had happened, regardless of what else went on at the tunnels. No, if it was poor anyone, it was poor Remy. Remy was stuck with a mad scientist while Jean was off flying high somewhere. She hoped Jean resolved her inner conflict for the better, for everyone's sake, but most of her sympathy right now was for Remy.

Logan was in a seat off to the side, a lit cigar in his mouth despite there being no smoking allowed on the jet. Normally he'd catch hell from Storm for even thinking about lighting up on the jet, but she wasn't there and even if she had been she wouldn't have been in any condition to scold him about his transgression. She probably wouldn't even have noticed. Ororo was still back with the others, drowning in her grief over Evan. Rogue had a feeling that she was blaming herself; that if she had never let her nephew stay with the Morlocks, that if she had just brought him back to the Institute that he would still be alive. She wanted to tell her teacher that probably wasn't true. Evan most likely would have come on this mission anyway, he had empathized greatly with the Morlocks and would have insisted on helping protect them. No, she doubted Storm would have been able to save him. Telling her would be useless though, the woman was too caught up in her grief; it was too fresh. Hopefully the Professor or some of the others would be able to her though.

There had been too much death lately; Mystique, Evan, Jean's apparent death then resurrection; even Sabertooth's death struck a minor chord in her, though she didn't really feel sorry at his demise. It was just that it felt weird to have someone you've known, whether you liked them or not, just be gone. Her mother she hadn't known long enough or well enough to truly miss, Evan she hadn't really been good friends with, and Sabertooth she had hated, but she still felt a strangeness at their absence, that they wouldn't be a part of her life anymore. Good or not, it was still there. She hoped that would be the last of it, that they would get everyone that had been taken out alive; because she wasn't sure if she could handle anymore deaths, not of her teammates, not of the Morlocks, and especially, her throat choked at the thought, especially not Remy.

Rogue forced these thoughts out of her mind before they could consume her and glanced at some of the others in the jet. The two sisters, Thornn and Feral, sat together and spoke quietly to each other, their voices unable to be heard over the sound of the jet. She supposed that the two girls seemed a little odd to some with their animalistic mutations, but no odder than some of the others; she had heard that during the battle Feral had been ready to kill when her sister was knocked out. Rogue could understand this protectiveness towards family. She had come to love her own brother Kurt very much and could very easily imagine going to any length to save him if necessary, and she knew that he felt the same about her. It gave her a little something in common with the two Morlocks. The other Morlock girl, Marrow, sat sullenly apart from the others. There was a deep anger in her eyes and Rogue imagined that she was upset over Evan's death as well. The Morlocks seemed to be a very close-knit group.

Kitty and Kurt sat together, Kurt still with tears in his eyes over the death of his friend. Kitty was doing the best she could to console him, her arms wrapped around his shoulders while he grieved. Rogue was glad that her brother had someone to take care of him right now. Kitty might be a bit on the flaky side, but she knew that the girl genuinely loved her brother.

Piotr also sat apart from the others, but Rogue thought that this was probably because he felt awkward with them and wasn't sure how to act. From Remy she knew that he was a quiet, serious young man who was usually involved with his books and his paintings and didn't spend a lot of time socializing. He really didn't seem the type to want to help others take over the world; in fact she knew he had only been with Magneto because of blackmail. Now though she hoped that Professor Xavier could help him, and remove whatever it was that Magneto was holding over his head, something about his sister, she now knew. Maybe he'd even stay after his ties to the Acolytes were severed. Remy would be glad to have his friend with him at the mansion; it wouldn't be easy for either of them to fit in at first, and having the other's presence might make things easier.

Rogue's thoughts were interrupted by Scott in the pilot's seat. "Rogue, we're almost there. I need you to point out the building to me."

"Okay" she moved up to the copilot's seat and kept an eye on the landscape as they moved closer to the building that housed Dr. Essex's lab. When she spotted it she pointed it out to Scott and he landed quietly not too far away. She almost complimented him on the smoothness of his landing; he had given them some rather rough rides before when he piloted the jet, but she could tell he wasn't in the mood for humor right now so she bit her tongue.

"There's more guards" Rogue commented, noticing them at different points around the building. Out in the open in the daylight like this, there wasn't much opportunity for a sneak attack, and the jet might have been spotted already. Scott and Logan seemed ready for a fight though, and she bet that the three Morlocks felt the same way.

The nine of them came down out of the jet and spread out; the guards saw them and attacked, guns firing. Logan, Feral and Thornn got right into the fight, knocking guns out of guards' hands and slashing their attackers; men went down and Rogue didn't look to see if they got up or not. From the mood the three mutants were in she doubted they would. Scott and Marrow fired optic blasts and bone spikes at the guards; Scott opting to knock his targets out while Marrow went straight for the kill. Rogue knew that her team leader shared Xavier's views about killing and probably wouldn't be too happy about the deaths from Logan or any of the Morlocks, but he seemed to be to angry right now and caught up in his own actions to really concern himself with what they did. He had no authority over the Morlocks anyway. The three girls would answer to Callisto for whatever they did, and the Morlock leader would no doubt praise their actions.

Kurt was teleporting around, grabbing the guards' guns and then knocking them out with their own weapons, while Kitty had a stun gun she had taken from the jet and was firing at the guards with better aim than Rogue thought she would have. She hadn't known Kitty was any good with guns; she'd have to find out where the girl had learned that. Piotr was his own weapon; he punched out guards and they didn't last long under the strength of the young man's metallic fists.

Rogue held her own as well, alternating between using Magneto's powers to wrench the guns out of her enemies' hands and Scott's optic blasts to knock them out. The guards didn't last long under the assault. The team sustained few injuries; bullets just bounced off of Piotr's metal form but Marrow had been shot in the arm and Kurt had a bump on the head from a guard who fought back a little too hard. Scott tried to tell Marrow to go back to the jet but she refused.

"No, I will not sit around while you others fight. I will help rescue my teammates", she said fiercely, and Scott wisely relented. They entered through the front of the building but found themselves at a bit of a loss about where to go next.

Rogue shook her head. "Remy and I entered through a different way, I'm not sure where they are." Logan stiffened though, as a faint cry was heard from another part of the building. "That sounds like Magneto" he said after a moment. "And he doesn't sound too happy at the moment."

"Maybe his new 'friend' turned on him", Scott muttered darkly.

"I wouldn't be surprised" Piotr said. "He did not seem the sort of man to be trusted."

"Oh and Magneto is?" Scott scoffed.

The Russian gave him a glare. "You do not know all the facts. Don't judge what you know nothing about."

Logan turned to the two. "Hush up, we've got company coming."

"Right you are, old man" said a voice from a side corridor. "Nice of you to pay us a visit; not very good manners though, didn't your mothers ever tell you not to argue when you're someone else's guest?" Arclight commented snidely as she came into view. Scalphunter, Prism and Blockbuster appeared behind her. Logan popped his claws.

"I've never claimed to be nice. Now where's your boss keeping our friends?" he snarled.

The woman laughed. "Like we'd tell you. Expect a tour, also? Sorry but they only do that in the movies. No, the boss has no desire to see you right now. He's a little preoccupied at the moment, taking care of your friends. Don't worry, they'll be just fine. Better than ever, in fact."

"That's enough out of you, lady" Logan spat, and attacked her.

"Rogue, you take Kurt and Kitty and go find the others, we'll handle these guys" Scott ordered as he fired a blast at Prism. He soon learned this was a mistake as the other mutant absorbed the blast then sent it right back at him. Scott dodged it just in time. "Colossus, you take this one!" he called out and focused his attack on Scalphunter instead. Piotr nodded and put his mind and fists to the task of beating on Prism's crystalline form. Feral and Thornn tag-teamed Blockbuster, alternating attacks while he fought the other off.

Rogue, Kitty and Kurt raced off down the hall in the direction the cry had come from. They met up with a few guards along the way, but they fought those off and continued to search each room, coming up empty handed until they made it to the main lab and found Essex bandaging up Magneto's head. Plague, Leech and Remy were all unconscious and strapped to tables. There was a bandage on Remy's head showing that whatever Essex had just done to Magneto he had already done to him. Dr. Essex looked up and smirked. "Ah, welcome. You missed out on the first two operations, but you're just in time to see the others. This will give you an idea of what you yourselves will be in for shortly. It's really fascinating the information the brain can give you. Soon I will be able to change these mutants' DNA, increase the power and intensity of their mutations, and also at the same time change their thinking so that they will only take orders from me."

Rogue scowled. "You filthy creep. What makes you think we're going to let you do that? Your hired thugs are being taken down as we speak."

Essex shrugged. "That's unfortunate, but once I have my patients here ready I won't need the others anymore." Kitty fired her stun gun at him but she missed and he sent bolts of pain through her and Kurt's minds, knocking them out. He tried to do it to Rogue also but was blocked by her mental shields. He raised an eyebrow. "Very nice shields you have there, my dear. I look forward to examining your DNA."

"Like hell you will." Rogue sent an optic blast at him, which he dodged. The blast blew a off a corner of the bed Magneto was laying on, and almost took the Master of Magnetism's feet with it. Essex shook his head. "Be careful young lady, you don't want to hurt your friends with those pretty eyes of yours." He took a gun out of his pocket and moved over to Remy, pointing it at his head. "I've already made one hole in this young man's head, do you want me to make another? Be nice and behave now."

Rogue smirked. "You won't hurt him, you want to play with him too badly." Drawing on Magneto's powers again, she snatched the gun out of Essex's hand and sent it flying across the room. She heard some explosions from another part of the building, but she had to ignore them as the doctor's pleasant face went away and he attacked Rogue, wanting to hurt her for interfering the way she was. He was larger than she was but she had several absorbed mutants' strength to back her up, and numerous hours training with Wolverine. The work paid off when after several minutes' fighting with him, she was able to tackle him and smash his head against the floor, knocking him out. Rogue got up and brushed herself off, and was about to go over to Kitty and Kurt to try to wake them up when Scott ran into the room, followed by Piotr.

"Come on Rogue; one of Essex's thugs managed to blow up some fuel tanks that were apparently inside the building, this whole place is going to go up in flames. We need to get out of here", He said, his words hurried. He then looked around. "What the hell's been going on in here?"

"Dr. Jeckyll's been playing, what do you think?" Rogue retorted, kneeling down by her brother. "Come on, help me wake these guys up."

Scott went over to Kitty and started shaking her awake while Rogue did the same to Kurt. Piotr in the meanwhile went over to his friend and checked him out. "Remy's out cold" he said, picking the unconscious man up carefully. "I'll take him out" On the way he also picked up Leech, who was small, and carried both mutants out the door. Rogue managed to wake up Kurt but Kitty stubbornly remained dead to the world.

"Can you carry her?" Rogue asked. "Kurt and I can teleport the other two out." Scott nodded and picked up Kitty, heading out of the lab. In the meantime Kurt went over to Plague and Rogue took Magneto, teleporting both mutants out of the building and ending up outside, where Logan and the Morlocks were waiting. Marrow was favoring her wounded arm even more and Feral seemed to have injured her leg, as she was leaning on her sister for support. Logan had some scratches and bruises that were quickly healing up but other than that he didn't look any worse for wear. She glanced over to Piotr, who was already carrying Leech and Remy into the jet. She wanted to go over to him and see how he was but she had to help take care of business first. And Piotr would take good care of his friend. She went to Logan instead.

"What happened? Where are Essex's goons?"

Logan stretched, popping the bones in his neck. "The woman and that big guy the sisters took on are dead, the other two ran off. That crystal guy absorbed some of Cyke's blasts and used that along with some weapons the other guy had to blow up the fuel tanks. The fire was spreading like crazy, there was no way we could stop it."

Rogue paused. "You know, Essex is still in there."

"Yeah, and?" Logan shrugged.

She eyed him, wondering if he was really suggesting that they leave the man in there to burn to death. The question was answered for her when the part of the building the lab was in exploded; the fire must have reached there already. Debris flew everywhere and the X-Men and Morlocks raced for the jet, Kurt and Rogue teleporting their cargo aboard. They laid them out on the floor in the back; Remy and Leech were already on the jet's two available stretchers. Rogue went over to him and knelt down beside him. He was sleeping deeply; other than the bandage on his head he seemed fine. She sighed and laid her head on his chest briefly, giving him a gentle hug. A wave of relief went through her; he was alive, he seemed to be okay. She wasn't sure what Essex had done to him, but whatever it was they would find out and fix it if necessary.

Feral glared down at Magneto. "What do we do with that?" pointing down at him like he was a disgusting object. Logan tended to agree with her. "We take him back to the Institute, let Xavier deal with him" he then glanced at the three Morlocks. "How about we take you three back there too, have those wounds taken care of? I'm sure Callisto would want that."

Feral nodded. "Fine." She and her sister walked carefully over to some seats and sat down, Feral favoring her wounded leg. Scott laid Kitty in one of the empty seats and went to the cockpit to start the jet up. Kurt sat by his girlfriend and took her hand, murmuring in her ear in an attempt to wake her up. Logan walked past them, stopping briefly. "I'm sure she'll wake up soon, furball" he said in as gentle a tone as he could manage.

"_Ja_, thanks Logan. I know she will. I just don't like seeing her like this" Kurt said quietly. Logan nodded, understanding, and went up to his seat. Scott fired up the engines and lifted the jet off into the air.

"Time to go home, folks."

O-o-o-o-O

There we go, everyone rescued. Not quite as good as I'd like, but I wasn't in the mood to get too complicated. Hope I can be forgiven.

Responses:

Ishy: Cookies to you for being the first to review the last couple of times I've updated! Thank you, I liked the fuzzy bunnies line too. Yep, brain drilling. Bwahahahahaha. If it makes you feel any better, Buckethead got his brain drilled too. So there.

DemonicGambit: TAG! You're it! Damn girl, that's what, 2 or 3 chapters you owe me now? You're really falling behind chica, need to catch up. And yes, I'm bad, I know it. Heh heh. Will Remy have some brain damage? Who knows?

RikaTabithaStarr: I didn't feel like going through the whole Phoenix then Dark Phoenix bit so I decided to just skip Phoenix and go straight to the Dark one. (This is rather AU, I can do that, heh heh heh) She's more fun anyway.

Fissie: Yes, ouch. Nope, no giving a local. I think the guy's a sadist. And congratulations on writing again. HEY EVERYBODY! You need to read Fissie's stories! They're very funny. Well, except for that one about psycho Scott, but even that's kind of funny depending on what kind of sense of humor you have.

Sweety8587: Yep, Inquisition. They got rather nasty back then. ACK! (dodges celery)

EE's Skysong: I don't care, I still want a mini swamprat. If you have problems emailing him I have FTP.

SweetRevenge151: You winced? Good! That bit was supposed to be creepy. What's the point of having a mad scientist if you can't be creepy. But yes, they're reunited now, so yaay.

GreenFairyGirl88: Thank you thank you.

Ilovelogan: You can uncover your eyes now, the creepiness is over. Don't forget my triple chocolate cookies dearie. I've been drooling over the thought of them.

Xpoisonedxangelx: I feel bad for Storm too. It's going to be hard for her, breaking the news to her sister.

Coletterby: I'm not sure if they can, but I think I'll update and not find out. Heh heh

Lady Farevay: Yay! The Marauders are ready to leave! My cats will be happy again. I just have to take them to therapy now. (sigh)

Shockgoddess: Thank you for not throwing anything. I've already got celery stains on my armor. Yes, Jean is like a cockroach. I think there should be a revolving door installed on her grave.

TheRealMai: Yes, Essex is an evil, evil bastard. Of course, since I'm the one writing him, I wonder what that makes me? Bwahahahahahaha

Kitsune Moonstar: You're very welcome. Have fun at school (snicker)

PomegranateQueen: Holy....thank you

Orion Kohaishu: Six times? I'm honored. I've been enjoying your work too, and can't wait to see more of it.

Wiccamage: Actually it's not stupid armor, it's protecting me from everything so far, well, except for that damn celery. (sigh) Thanks for the compliment on Phoenix. I didn't want to make a big production of it, but I'm glad I pulled it off.

Dreamschemer: Thank you thank you. As much as I love this story, I'm looking forward to finishing it up so I can work more on Community Service, which is really turning out to be my best story yet, in my opinion anyway. Hope you like the way things turn out!


	32. Chapter 32

AN: I own nothing and no one portrayed here.

I'm not sure where to begin, it's been so long. What happened, you ask? Life happened. These stories were started when I had little else but work and my computer, and I have so much more than that now. Since last I wrote I have joined the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) and taken up fencing, which I love very much. After being a solitary witch for years, I've joined a coven, and have made many new friends in both groups. When summer comes I'll be going back to school for culinary arts, as I hope to be a chef. My apologies to those who have waited (and waited), but with so much going on I've had neither the time or inspiration to write. I hear the voices of my characters calling me though (getting cussed out by a pissed off Cajun is no fun, let me tell you), and find myself once again at the keyboard to finish their tales. Anyone who wants to throw vegetables at me, I fully deserve it. And if anyone is still reading I thank you again, and again for your patience.

O-o-o-o-O

_Beep…….beep…….beep…….._

The monitor ticked off its mechanical song, telling Rogue that the person laying in the bed was still alive, still breathing. She hadn't left Remy's side since Dr. McCoy placed him here in a corner of the medlab. That had been hours ago. When they arrived back at the mansion, Beast had had Remy and Magneto taken to the medical facilities immediately. He had been sickened when he removed the bandages and found what Essex had done. Rogue could see the strain it took the large mutant not to plant his fist through the wall. She had been disgusted too. Hopefully the material taken from their heads had been destroyed in the explosion, along with the man who did the taking.

Not finding anything wrong with them other than the holes in their heads and the sedative in their systems, Beast had put both Remy and Magneto on monitors and set them out of the way for observation. Rogue had sat at her lover's side ever since. She could hear what went on around her but didn't acknowledge it. Her focus was completely on Remy.

The Morlocks were being given temporary housing at the mansion while their wounds healed and until their home could be repaired. The more seriously injured were in beds here in the medlab, until they could join the others upstairs. Feral and Thornn had beds next to each other and the two sisters talked quietly, giving dirty looks at Riptide every so often. Beast had the man under sedation, as the damage Masque had caused to his face made it difficult to breathe and kept him in constant pain. Not that McCoy felt any sympathy for the man beyond that of a doctor, but the man's screams were disturbing the other patients. The other prisoners were in holding cells, with the exception of Pyro, who had gone upstairs with Piotr and Xavier shortly after their arrival at the mansion.

Storm was in the library with Kurt, Kitty and a pot of tea. Ororo had finally broken out of her silence, but the other two mutants were keeping an eye on her in case she flipped out again, or tried to go after the prisoners downstairs. Evan's body was in a refrigeration unit pending burial, but Ororo hadn't found the words or the courage yet to call her sister and tell her that her son was dead.

While wounds were healed and others mourned, some went into denial. The minute they had returned to the Institute, Scott had gone on a mad search contacting local airports, government agencies, even NASA, to try and find some trace of Jean. Surely a woman flying through the sky wasn't an every day occurrence. He'd had no luck though. No one had seen her, or if they had they weren't talking. He refused to give up though, and the last anyone had seen of him he was still making calls and looking up flight reports.

While all this went on, Rogue continued to sit by Remy's side, holding his hand with her gloved one and brushing his hair out of his face every once in a while.

"It's almost funny" she whispered, glancing down at their joined hands. "You sat by my side, and now I'm sitting by yours. I can't find anything funny right now though. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. You're supposed to be awake right now, helping me make Logan have kittens." Oh that stupid, stupid man. If only he hadn't gone through with this, if he'd only taken Xavier's offer….. _But then we wouldn't have known what was going on and the Morlocks would be killed or captured._ Rogue thought sadly. No, Remy had had to do it. She knew he'd never be able to forgive himself if he hadn't. _The price we're paying though….won't you please just wake up, damnit!_

"How is he?" Came a quiet voice from behind her. Rogue turned and saw Piotr standing there, looking grave as he saw his friend.

"The same" she sighed. Letting go of Remy's hand, she sat so she could face the tall Russian more comfortably. "How are you?"

"Better" Piotr nodded. "The Professor and I talked, and he is going to help with my sister. We've already contacted the hospital she's in and arranged to have her brought to the States. She'll have the best medical care and I'll be able to see her whenever I want."

"That's wonderful" Rogue smiled faintly. She hadn't known what Piotr's situation was, but she was glad that it would work out. He seemed like a very nice young man. "Are you going to stay here then?"

"Yes. I've had to do some bad things to protect my sister, and I need to make up for them. I want her to be proud of me" Piotr said, pulling up another chair.

"I'm sure she will be. What about John? Will he stay?" Rogue asked. The Australian was insane, but amusing. And a talented writer, if you were into that type of book.

"It took some negotiating, but he agreed to stay. Wolverine wanted to confiscate the flamethrower and all his lighters, but Professor Xavier is allowing him to keep one lighter at any given time, along as he promises no fires on school property. He's going to set up a special Danger Room program where John can light up all he wants. You should have seen John's face." Piotr said, cracking a smile.

"They'd better fireproof his room" Rogue muttered.

"I think he'll behave" Piotr responded. "He saw that fire girl he's so crazy about and left to talk to her when we finished. I doubt he wants to get kicked out now."

"Oh god. Poor Amara."

"Maybe" Piotr shrugged. "Maybe she will help him grow up though."

"Is that possible?" Rogue asked doubtfully.

"Who knows? I never thought I'd see Remy get serious about a girl, so anything's possible." With that they both glanced at the person they cared about in their differing ways. He was so still and quiet, so different from the lively person he normally was that it was depressing.

"I never thought I would be close to someone like this, Piotr" Rogue whispered. "He's helped me stop being so afraid of myself."

"He will wake up, Rogue" Piotr said quietly. "Nothing kills cockroaches."

Rogue was going to make a sarcastic comeback but the sound of something shifting on the bed grabbed both of their attention. "Who head dent?" came a sleepy murmur.

"Remy?" Rogue asked excitedly. "Remy? Are you okay? Come on, swamp rat, wake up!"

Remy's eyes cracked open, and a sleepy smile came over his face. "Oh purty muffin, how I love raisins" he mumbled.

Rogue looked confused, but figured it was due to the drugs he had been given. "Come on Remy, wake up. You've been lying in bed too long" she smiled, happy that he was awake, no matter what silly things he was mumbling about.

Slowly, Remy stretched and shifted in the bed, then looked up at Rogue. "Is the taxi underwater?" he smiled, reaching his hand up to her face. Rogue quickly grabbed it before he could hurt himself, and kept it in her gloved one. "What are you talking about, Remy?" she asked, frowning a little now. "Can you go get Dr. McCoy?" she asked Piotr. The young man nodded and left to find the doctor.

"How are you feeling, Remy?" Rogue asked, putting their joined hands in her lap. "I've seen a pirate ship collapse" he shrugged. Rogue wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. Did Essex scramble Remy's brain somehow? "Um…..okay" she finally replied. "Dr. McCoy will be here soon and he'll check you out."

"The chickens are quite sexy tonight" Remy grinned, tracing his thumb over her clothed wrist lazily. Thankfully for Rogue she was spared having to answer that because Hank came over a moment later. "Ah, our Cajun transplant is awake" he said happily. "And how are you feeling today, Mr. Lebeau?"

"Melba toast and gravy would be lovely" Remy said, playing with Rogue's fingers now. McCoy blinked. "I see what you mean" he said to Piotr. "Remy, do you know what day it is?"

"Library of Congress" he responded confidently.

"I was afraid of this" Hank sighed. "Essex cut into the front part of the brain, which controls thought processes, among other things, and Remy's are now a little…..off kilter." Rogue's eyes grew wide with horror. "Do you mean he's……brain damaged now? Can it be fixed?"

"Yes Rogue, thankfully the brain can adapt to damage and retrain itself to work around it. I'm not sure how long it will take yet, I'll have to do some tests to see how far the damage goes. In the meantime though I'll need to keep him down here to keep an eye on him" Hank said, looking at Remy regretfully. "I'd like to get my hands on that doctor" he muttered angrily. "He has no right playing with people's bodies like that."

Rogue looked down at hers and Remy's clasped hands, his fingers stroking her palm. He seemed okay, he was awake, talking and moving, but when he opened his mouth……..something surreal came out. It was like his brain couldn't pick the right words for what he wanted to say. _It could have been worse, it could have been much worse_, she kept reminding herself.

"Piotr, could you tell the Professor that he's awake?" Hank asked, and the younger man nodded and left the room. Then he turned back to Rogue, who remained quiet.

"I don't want you to panic, Rogue. I know it seems scary, but new developments with brain injuries are being made all the time. Depending on the extent of the damage I think he has a very good chance of recovering." During this, Remy sat on the bed and clutched Rogue's hand, a look of disbelief on his face.

"Are the British raiding pins and needles?" he asked with concern.

Hank paused, not sure how to translate that question. "If you're asking me if you'll be okay, Remy, then the answer is yes."

If this wasn't so serious, Rogue would have laughed at the nonsense coming out of Remy's mouth. There wasn't anything funny about this though. Not a damn thing.

"So what do we do now?" she asked McCoy.

"Well, let him rest, have something to eat if he's hungry, and I'll do some tests later when he's more awake. Right now I need to check on our other post surgery patient" Hank said, referring to Magneto, who was on the other side of the room. "We'll help him, Rogue" he said comfortingly, laying a hand on her shoulder for a moment.

"Thanks. I know you'll do everything you can" she gratefully, and McCoy left them to check on his other patients. Okay, so how does one communicate with a person who can only talk nonsense? Rogue thought to herself. "Alright Remy, since we're having problems in the communications department, how about this: You nod your head for yes, and shake it for no when I ask you questions. Okay?" Remy paused for a moment, then nodded.

Rogue smiled. It was a start. "Good. Are you hungry?" Remy nodded. "Would you like a sandwich?" Another nod. "Okay, I'll be back in a few minutes" Rogue said and got up, kissing the top of Remy's head before leaving the room.

_Oy, this is going to be a long day._

O-o-o-o-O

Piotr was just leaving Xavier's office after having given his report on Remy when Logan walked in. He sat down in one of the chairs and almost lit up a cigar when he remembered the no smoking rule in the mansion. It had been such a trying day that he'd nearly forgotten. Charles noticed the near blunder but didn't say anything.

"Are you going to let the kid keep pushing himself like that?" Logan asked, referring to Scott. The young man was exhausted but he wouldn't stop to rest, eat or anything; he just kept up his relentless search for Jean.

"Short of knocking him out, I don't think I could stop him" Charles said, shaking his head slightly. "He needs to do this. I think only exhausting himself will allow him to accept the truth. I don't think Jean is coming back; or if she does she won't be the same person we knew."

Logan nodded, not knowing what to say. Jean's transformation had completely taken him by surprise, and as much as he'd like to help his student, there wasn't much he could do in the face of what seemed to be an internal struggle. Xavier's voice broke him from his thoughts. "Is the fire under control?"

After making sure everyone returned safely to the mansion, Logan had returned to the lab to help put out the fire and clean up from the explosion. "Yes, it's put out but there's not much left of the building. The lab was completely destroyed. There's a problem though" he paused a moment, fingering the cigar in his pocket. "We searched afterwards for bodies and there were none, nor any remains. I don't know how, but Essex somehow managed to get out of there."

O-o-o-o-O


End file.
